A Little Faith
by elle6778
Summary: COMPLETE. Kagome dreams of falling into the old well, ending up in the hands of the demon Lord Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru dreams of an infuriating miko who does not know when to stop. Chaos ensues but all they really need is a little faith.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

Title: A Little Faith Author: elle6778  
Rating: T-rated leading to M-rated later  
Genre: Romance/Action

A/N: I think I could safely say that this story is AU, and no, this is not related to 'A Simple Legacy'. For those of you who had read 'A Simple Legacy', you will find that this was set up very differently. You will see the scenes switching back and forth between different timelines, in both Sesshoumaru's and Kagome's point of view. As always, I've set out the framework for the entire story, but you'll probably be wondering about a lot of things in the beginning, but it will all become clear towards the end of the story (I hope!). :P Other than that, please enjoy!

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**A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 1**

The atmosphere in the forest could only be described as ominous. Towering trees loomed overhead, blocking the morning sun, casting dark shadows upon the thick foliage. The occasional calls of wild beasts filtered through air, the mere sound was enough to send the more timid beings scurrying for shelter.

Heart pounding at a pace she could hardly believe was possible, Kagome ran frantically, gulping large lungful of air after another. Blood roared in her ears, drowning out everything except the sound of her own heartbeat. She did not even dare to look back to see if the monster was still after her.

The whole thing was like a nightmare she could not wake up from. Heck, it probably _was_ a nightmare. There could not be any other explanation to her current predicament. At least, not one which made sense to a normal fifteen-year-old girl born and bred in Tokyo.

The well had been in the compound of their family shrine since Kami-knows when. There was nothing sinister about it, just an old dried-up well. Right? So when she had gone into the wellhouse earlier to find her missing cat, Buyo, the last thing she had expected was to be dragged in by some centipede monster. With its numerous legs and long body, grossly topped by what looked like a human head, the centipede monster was the stuff of all nightmares.

Immediately, her fear spiked again at the thought of the monster chasing after her, forcing her to redouble her efforts at escaping. Her feet pounded the ground as she scrambled through the unfamiliar forest, her breath leaving her in loud gasps. Trees and scrubs continued to rush past her, tearing at the bare skin exposed below the hemline of her skirt. Alarm coursed through her at the realization that she could not go on running for much longer. But yet, she could not afford to stop. The centipede monster was still behind her.

Was it?

The thought made her pause. Come to think of it, she had not heard anything for a while now. Still on high alert, she cautiously slowed her steps to a stop, listening out for the telltale sounds of snapping twigs or the rustle of leaves.

Nothing.

It was deathly silent.

Kagome let out a sigh of relief as she sagged, realizing that she had finally managed to get away from the monster. She looked down mournfully at the scratches on her limbs. From the way those scratches were stinging, she was quite sure that she was not dreaming, nightmare or not. Whatever _this_ place was, it was as real as her house in Tokyo. But she had not seen a single car, or heard anything that was familiar to her.

Mad as it seemed, she decided that she must have been thrown into completely different world.

Or time.

The question was, how was she supposed to get back to the well? She had been too preoccupied with saving her own ass that she had not even bother to look where she was going. And now she was completely lost. There was nothing but trees around her for miles.

_Great going, Kagome. Just great_, her inner voice mocked.

She frowned, telling the voice to shut up.

Whatever it was, she could not remain there in the middle of the forest. There was less chance of her getting caught by the monster if she kept moving. Glancing around, she picked a random direction and decided that she might as well start to walk that way. Perhaps she would come across some local people. Then maybe they would help her get back to the well.

Perhaps.

Forcing herself to remain optimistic, she lifted her chin and began to walk.

She did not know how long she had walked, but it was growing dark and everything was beginning to look the same. Her eyelids were drooping and her body was sagging in weariness. Much as she wanted to carry on, she knew that it was impossible. She needed a break.

Finding a peaceful spot, a clearing surrounded by tall trees, she sat and leaned back against a cool boulder. She would rest. Just for a while.

Slowly, her eyes drifted shut.

She did not know how long she had slept. All she knew was that when she woke up, she was no longer in the clearing.

Panic instantly set in and she tried to scream, only to find that she was unable to do so. All she could manage was a muffled groan of frustration. Her eyes flicked around nervously as she tried to move. But movement was limited, considering that she was bound and gagged. She did not know how she got herself into these sorts of trouble.

Blinking rapidly to accustom her eyes to the darkness, she studied the wooden walls around her. It looked old and it smelled musty, giving the impression that the place had not been used for a while. She could not see much of her surroundings but she knew that whatever she was sitting on, it was soft and furry. Some sort of rug, maybe. She tried to move her bound legs and found that her heel was scraping something which felt like a dirt floor.

On hindsight, perhaps she should not have slept in the middle of the clearing, leaving herself completely vulnerable to the elements. But she had been too tired to carry on.

A loud scraping sound jarred her out of her contemplation. Then the door slammed open, making her jump. Her eyes shot up and immediately widened at the sight of the other…person. Not that she could see much with the sunlight streaming in behind him. He was merely a dark silhouette to her.

Then he stepped closer, allowing her a better look at his features. In return, he was studying her with a wolfish grin on his face. What unnerved her was the two sharp, gleaming points that protruded slightly out of his mouth. They looked suspiciously like fangs. She could also make out a mass of black hair. Was he yet another monster? He looked suspiciously _human_ for a monster.

A niggling thought came to her. Jii-chan had always told stories about demons and such. She had always dismissed it as fairy tales, but now she was not sure. The centipede monster and this…_thing_ standing in front of her certainly qualified as demons if what her Jii-chan had said was true.

The _thing_ smirked at her.

_Smirked!_

Kagome's eyes widened further.

Then he nodded to himself. "You'll do," he muttered absently.

Kagome let out a squeak. Unfortunately her gag muffled the effect. She would do for what? What did he have in store for her?

His brow shot up. "Oh, you want to speak?"

She quickly nodded.

He stepped closer and she shrank back involuntarily. His features became clearer. There was a headband holding his fringe away from his face and his ears were pointed at the tips. To her surprise, she found him actually quite pleasant to look at, if she ignored all his non-human features.

His blue eyes widened slightly as he stared at her, making her feel acutely uncomfortable. "You look even better close up. Hakkaku didn't tell me that you're this pretty."

She gasped as he peeled her gag off.

"Who are you?" she immediately asked.

"Ah. I'm Kouga, the prince of the Eastern Wolf Tribe," he replied proudly. Then he grasped her chin and moved her head side to side, inspecting her. A speculative gleam entered his eyes. "Hmm…perhaps I should keep you."

"WHAT?" she exclaimed in horror. "What do you mean? You can't keep me! I've got to go home. I don't belong here."

He shook his head. "No, I suppose you don't," he remarked thoughtfully as he eyed her clothes. "What's your name?"

"Uh…Kagome," she replied weakly, unsure how else she should respond. The demon, for she was sure now that he _was _a demon, was strangely unthreatening, if she discounted the fact that she was all trussed up like a chicken.

He nodded. "Well, Kagome. Much as I'd like to stay here longer, we have to prepare for departure."

"You're not going to let me go?" she asked shakily, her alarm growing to mammoth proportions.

Where was he taking her and for what purpose? Every sinister scenario began to flash past her mind. Was he going to kill her as some sacrifice? Was he going to _eat_ her? Her eyes widened. Or perhaps he was going to ravage her? Her fear grew at the thought.

"NO!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, desperately struggling against her bonds. "You let me go, you hear me?!" she demanded.

Startled, the demon, Kouga just stared at her unblinkingly for a moment. Then he smirked. "Now, there's no need for that. I'm bringing you somewhere…nice."

Nice? She glared at him distrustfully.

"Here," he said, tossing a bundle beside her and pointed at it. "I'm going to untie you and I want you to dress in that."

She eyed the furry bundle apprehensively. Then she lifted her chin stubbornly. "I'm not doing anything you say."

His eyes gleamed. "Or I could dress you myself," he threatened as he moved closer.

Her fear spiked. There was no mistaking the intent behind his actions. "NO! Wait! I can do it myself," she quickly said.

With a satisfied nod, he lowered himself to his knees. Kagome kept her watchful eyes on him as he unbound her wrists and ankles. When she was finally free, she jumped up to her feet and rubbed her sore wrists. Her eyes immediately darted to the doorway.

"Don't even think of it," Kouga warned.

Kagome felt like sulking. Instead, she turned around to glare at the demon. He pointed at the bundle and raised a brow. Then, without another word, he walked out, closing the door behind him.

She picked up the bundle and shook it out, frowning as she did so. It looked like a short, sleeveless dress made out of fur with matching fur leggings. Sighing in resignation, she removed her school uniform and began to struggle into the unfamiliar clothes. At least all that fur would keep her warm, she thought dryly.

Once she was sure that she had managed to secure all the ties, she walked to the door and shoved it open. She blinked as the bright sunlight hit her face, noting absently that she was still in the forest. Then her gaze landed on Kouga and another unfamiliar person.

The second person was watching her intently, curiously without any expression on his face. What caught her attention was his bright blue wavy hair and something which looked like a drop of water suspended in the middle of his forehead. That could not be real, she thought to herself. But then again, a lot of things did not seem real.

Kouga turned to the other person. "Is she satisfactory, Lord Akiyama?"

The one called Akiyama nodded. "Yes."

Kagome glowered. What was she? An object? So what if one of them was a prince and the other one a lord? It did not mean that they could kidnap her. She decided that it was time to make them see sense. "Hey, listen you two. I don't know what you're up to but you need to let me go. I don't belong here."

Stepping closer to her, Akiyama gave her a small smile. "You need not worry. Be assured that you will not be harmed. Now, rest."

Before she could retort, Kagome found herself surrounded by a fine blue mist and then everything went black.

* * *

The annoying jangling of the alarm clock rang through the room, jolting Kagome out of her restless sleep. Groaning, she turned around in her bed and buried her face into her soft pillow. She immediately decided that it was too early to wake up. The birds outside were still chirping, for Kami's sakes. 

Not to mention she was having that dream again. With such a weird dream, how could she even sleep peacefully? She frowned into her pillow. Being chased by monsters in her dream was definitely not conducive to a good night's sleep.

"OKAA-SAN!!"

"NEECHAN!!"

An even louder groan escaped her lips when the loud yells reached her. "Go away," she mumbled, her eyes remaining firmly shut. Just a few more minutes of sleep, that was all she was asking for.

A loud bang sounded and Kagome cracked her eyes open just in time to see two figures barreling into her room, the taller form behind the smaller one. Her eyes shot open fully the moment she took an impact to her stomach, courtesy of a small, but strong form.

A stricken pair of golden eyes locked onto hers in a plea for help as another body landed on top of her. Kagome's eyes bulged as she coughed at the additional impact. The two boys continued to wrestle with complete disregard to the fact that she was probably sustaining permanent injury to her mistreated body.

"Get off me, the two of you!" she choked out as she tried to push them off. "It's way too early for this!"

The smaller boy squealed in laughter as the older one tickled him mercilessly. "Do you surrender, Sachimaru?"

"Souta! Let him go," Kagome admonished irritably. "You're already thirteen years old and you're still picking on Sachimaru."

Sachimaru shot up onto his feet, wobbling a little on the bed before he managed to steady himself. Pausing, he flicked his silver hair out of his eyes. Then he declared proudly, "I'm six and I can handle Souta!" Turning to Souta, he declared imperiously, "No. I will not surrender!"

Kagome felt a smile tickling her lips. Sachimaru never failed to amuse her with his antics.

She still remembered the first day they met.

Due to an accident she could not remember, she had been in a coma for close to two years. Apparently, she had collapsed near the well just after her fifteenth birthday. Later, her mother had told her that no one could figure out what had happened. The doctors had run test after test with no conclusive result. Finally, her distraught mother had brought her back to be cared at home.

Then one day, about two years after the incident, she had woken up on her own. Everyone had been surprised. She still remembered how her mother had cried in relief for days. The strange thing was, she had felt so confused because apart from looking a little older and decorated with various puncture wounds all over her body from the tests, she had not felt any different.

It had only taken one day in bed for her to grow tired of all the coddling. Feeling restless, she had insisted on taking a walk. Ignoring the loud protests from her family, she had ventured out into the shrine grounds. Her aimless wandering had brought her to the old well-house.

That had been the first time she laid eyes on Sachimaru.

The little boy, supposedly three at that time, had been huddled, shivering by the side of the well-house. Dressed in what appeared to be an odd white kimono, he had been a sorry sight. Concerned, she had rushed over and picked him up.

The boy had no recollection of anything apart from his own name.

After she had brought him home with her, she and her family had set out on a search for his parents. The authorities had been informed, but they allowed Sachimaru to remain at the shrine-keeper's home while attempts were made to locate his parents. However, the extensive searches had turned up nothing. A year had passed before they finally gave up.

Kagome smiled.

It was just as well. Because by then, she had grown so attached to Sachimaru that she did not think that she would survive it if he had left her. So the moment she turned eighteen, she had adopted the little boy. He filled a void in her life, one caused by the two missing years. Although her high school friends had visited during her coma, so her mother told her, they had since moved on with their lives.

Two years had passed since the adoption and with each passing day, she had not regretted doing so. Even if it meant that she had to juggle the care of her adopted son with her part-time studies and work.

"Okaa-san?"

A pair of golden eyes peered at her curiously. Grinning, Kagome ruffled her adopted son's hair and swung her legs out of bed. Glancing at her clock, she let out a sigh of relief. At least she was not going to be late for work today. Even if it was her last day at the departmental store.

"Out, the two of you. I'm getting dressed for work," she said as she bent down to kiss Sachimaru on his forehead, just over the little crescent moon scar on his forehead. "I'll see you downstairs for breakfast. And Souta, you're going to be late for school."

Nodding happily, Sachimaru left the room behind a grumbling Souta.

As Kagome passed her dresser, an object caught her attention, making her smile. The black chain with the circular silver pendant had been broken by an overzealous Sachimaru about a month ago, but she still kept it. Apart from Sachimaru's old kimono, it was the only thing that the boy possessed when she had found him. It occurred to her that he might want it back in the future.

A glance at the clock cut her musings short, reminding her that she should move before she was really late. With that, she grabbed her clothes and dashed to the bathroom.

* * *

The gravel crunched loudly beneath the wheels of the sleek Porsche as the vehicle pulled into the driveway. At the end of the tree-lined path, a stone-walled mansion graced the centre of a sprawling compound. 

Sesshoumaru stepped out of his car and immediately headed for the entrance to his current dwelling. The mansion had been purchased a year ago when he returned to Japan from the United States. He would have preferred to return to his ancestral home in what used to be known as the Western Lands, but now better known as Kyoto. However, that was not possible for the time being.

He dropped his keys on the table beside the entrance as he stepped into his home. Almost immediately, the sound of pattering footsteps reached him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Wordlessly, he turned to face his old retainer. The toad youkai was breathless by the time he traversed the hallway of the mansion, his conduct and appearance still unchanged over the years.

"Inuyasha-sama was home. A-And he brought…" Jaken faltered uncertainly.

Sesshoumaru grimaced. Jaken did not need to finish the sentence. Inuyasha must have brought another one of his playthings to the mansion. It seemed that it was about time they had another _conversation_ about privacy. Perhaps this time, Inuyasha would benefit from a physical reminder. Anticipation filled Sesshoumaru at the notion of beating his hanyou brother senseless.

"Do not concern yourself, Jaken. I will speak to him."

Jaken looked relieved.

As his retainer bowed and departed, Sesshoumaru climbed up the wide central staircase. Making his way to his room, he allowed himself to mull over the memory of his past. It was odd that such a mundane event had surfaced in his dream last night. The dream had comprised of him agreeing upon a treaty. That particular session had been one of many that had taken place with the Northern Lord. There was nothing peculiar about it and therefore, he was rather puzzled that he had dreamt of it. What puzzled him further was the fact that he could not recall much of what had happened after the treaty.

However, it mattered not.

The world had progressed far since then. But what else did one expect after five hundred years or so?

As the human race progressed and its population grew, it had become increasingly necessary for demons to keep a low profile. Especially when the humans' fear of the unknown had resulted in demons being hunted down and killed in one after another. Four hundred years ago, the situation had escalated to such a point that demons were forced to travel in groups to ensure their safety. It had been a pitiful sight.

Fortunately, many demons were still present this day, albeit in human forms. Hidden behind various concealing spells, the majority of them were able to safely integrate into the human society. Those such as Jaken and Ah-Un, who did not possessed the power to maintain the concealing spell for more than a day or so, spent most of their lives hidden away in guarded homes and a number of private islands scattered around the world.

With the newfound peace, demons were able to live a relatively normal, albeit somewhat restricted life. Their numbers had grown again, but each birth was carefully recorded to ensure that provisions were made for their safety. Although the years had mellowed away the antagonism towards humans, many demons were still wary of them. And to the humans, demons were merely legends.

Not for the first time, Sesshoumaru's lips tightened at the thought. It irked him that his species had been reduced to nothing but fairy tales and legends. A part of him wanted to lash out, to demand that demons were recognized as they were. However, he knew that for the sake of survival, such a thing was not advisable.

Stepping into his bathroom, Sesshoumaru shut the door behind him and stood facing his reflection in the mirror. Safe in his own home and certain that any visitors would not be able to gain entry without passing the security gates, he allowed the concealing spell to dissolve. Slowly, his golden eyes not leaving his reflection, he watched as the magenta stripes on his cheeks reappeared, followed by the crescent moon on his forehead and lastly, the elongation of his fangs. His ears were one of the features which he did not bother to conceal, seeing that many others also neglected to do so as it was something which was not deemed unacceptable.

Turning away from the mirror, he commenced his nightly cleansing ritual. It had been a long day at work and all he wanted to do was to remove all the pollutants from his person so that he could rest.

He had returned to Japan a year ago, carrying the identity of a descendant of the founder of Taishou Securities. His lips quirked. The company had taken root centuries ago when he had decided that for the survival of their species, the demons needed to integrate into the human population.

It had started off slowly, with a group of his inuyoukai warriors disguising themselves as human warriors, hiring out their skills to any humans with the means to pay. Soon enough, the venture grew. However, demons lived much longer than humans and did not age visibly, therefore it had become necessary to replace the original group of warriors with a fresh batch every thirty years or so. Eventually, the process had fallen into a pattern and each group was known as 'rotations'.

In the meantime, he had also founded several others ventures to keep the rest of the inuyoukais in employment. Soon, other demons had decided to join him. When the word spread, other more ambitious demons had decided adopt a similar approach to ensure their survival, creating their own companies.

He smirked as he stepped out of the bathroom. However, none of them could match the wealth of Taishou Holdings, which presided over a great number of subsidiary companies worldwide. One of the being Taishou Securities where he was currently based. He rarely took part in fieldwork, unless there was a particularly complicated task which required his attention. It was only then that he utilized his heightened senses and powers to complete the task.

He had undertaken such task this very day.

The call had arrived from one of his underlings, an inuyoukai called Shin. Shin's assignment, a high-level security watch over a research laboratory had taken an unexpected turn when some unknown poison was released into the ventilation duct.

Fortunately, zipping through the sky at a speed not visible to human eyes, Sesshoumaru had been able to arrive in time to prevent the facility from being compromised. The human intruders had been knocked unconscious before they even laid eyes on their assailant.

To Sesshoumaru's surprise, he had found that Shin was considerably weakened by the poison. What concerned Sesshoumaru the most was the nature of the poison itself. It had been strong enough to affect Shin to the extent that the inuyoukai had been barely conscious when Sesshoumaru had arrived at the scene. As a demon, although he did not possess full immunity to poisons, Shin should have been able to resist the effect much longer than the human researchers. Sesshoumaru had then called Tsukuyo Medical to send a demon paramedic to treat Shin before he proceeded to restrain the intruders.

The intruders were now in one of the holding cells in headquarters, awaiting the arrival of those in charge of the research laboratory. There was no doubt that they would be questioned extensively, both by Taishou Securities and the owners of the research laboratory.

Brushing away the thoughts of the event, Sesshoumaru proceeded to don his yukata. Then he glanced at the door, deliberating whether he should consume food before he retired. Finally, he decided that it was not necessary. The bed appealed to him more.

Settling down on the cool sheets, Sesshoumaru relaxed and closed his eyes. Soon, his subconscious wandered into the realm of dreams.

* * *

The flames in the recessed fire pit burned merrily, illuminating the sparsely decorated chamber. Bamboo lined two walls while a shoji screen formed the remaining sides, enclosing a low table to one end and shelves of bound parchment at the other end. The chamber was peacefully silent until a series of respectful taps filtered through the shoji screen. 

A small frown of displeasure creased Sesshoumaru's brows as he looked up from low table in front of him. He glanced down at the scroll he had not finished and then back at the door, briefly deliberating if he should send his unwanted visitor away.

Sighing in resignation before he recomposed his expression into its usual mild disinterest, he called out, "Enter, Jaken."

The door opened to reveal a diminutive demon. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" he greeted with a bow.

"What is it, Jaken? This Sesshoumaru specifically demanded no disturbance."

His retainer shifted nervously. "Um, I'm sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru. But this cannot wait."

Sesshoumaru raised a questioning brow.

"The Prince of the Eastern Wolf Tribe is here," Jaken explained.

"Kouga?" Sesshoumaru asked, wondering what the wolf was there for.

The only thing which came to mind was that Kouga had arrived to discuss the treaty between the Western Lands and the Northern Isles. The wolf prince was a close ally of the new Northern Lord, who had recently conquered the isles from another youkai. In the interest of keeping the peace, and to declare that he had no intention of expanding his hold, the new Northern Lord had called for the formation of a new treaty between the two.

Perhaps Kouga was here to seal their agreement with a gift customary to these sorts of agreement. Sesshoumaru grimaced. He just hoped that he would not be presented with a pile of pelts. The last thing he wanted was the stench of dead beasts in his dwelling. But he knew that whatever the gift was, he could not turn it down without insulting the wolf, and thus, the Northern Lord.

Sesshoumaru unfolded his legs gracefully and stood up. Jaken followed close behind as he made his way to the reception hall. As he passed an open screen, he noted that the sun was already setting. A small growl of irritation rose from his throat before he could suppress it. Would he never have any peace? Why was it that others always insisted on an audience with him at such a disrespectful hour?

Jaken was toddling away in front of him, oblivious to his unpleasant thoughts. For a moment, Sesshoumaru considered kicking the small demon to relieve his frustration at yet another disturbed evening. But then again, he knew that the relief would be short-lived, hardly worth the effort.

Brushing away his irritation, he passed a few more empty chambers before he reached his destination. Jaken slid the shoji screen open and then stood back, bowing respectfully. Sesshoumaru stepped into the bamboo lined room to find the fur-covered wolf prince sitting to one side of the centrally placed fire-pit. The low fire flickered, casting dancing shadows on the wall.

Sesshoumaru looked around warily. It was odd, but he was certain that he could smell the scent of a human somewhere nearby. It was not an intolerable scent. In fact, it was somewhat pleasant. That in itself was astonishing.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Kouga greeted as he stood up.

Nodding his acknowledgement, Sesshoumaru replied, "Prince Kouga. What brings you to the Western Lands?" The scent of the human increased as he neared Kouga. It was obvious that the wolf was the source of the scent. Curious.

"It is regarding the treaty," Kouga explained. "I am here on behalf of Lord Akiyama."

Sesshoumaru refrained from growling. It was as he had thought. This treaty with the Northern Lord appeared to be more of a nuisance than it was worth. Especially considering that the Akiyama did not even have the courtesy of presenting himself. Instead, the elemental demon had the audacity to send the wolf in his place. The subtle disrespect irked him.

Gesturing for the wolf prince to sit, Sesshoumaru lowered himself onto the tatami. "The Northern Lord has concerns regarding the treaty?" he asked coldly.

Shaking his head, Kouga held his hands up quickly. "No. Lord Akiyama is pleased with the terms. I'm simply here to finalize it with a gift."

Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly. No doubt Kouga was about to present him with a pile of fur pelt. Perhaps he should just give them away to his guards. No, that would simply mean that the pelts would remain in his compound. Perhaps he should give them to the villagers. Yes, the villagers could certainly put the fur to good use.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Evidently, he had been silent for too long, Sesshoumaru thought wryly. He inclined his head. "You may present your gift, Prince Kouga."

Brightening visibly, Kouga stood up and whistled. The shoji screen at the other end of the room immediately slid open to admit two of Kouga's companions. Hakkaku and Ginta, he believed the wolf demons were called. They appeared to be struggling with something between them.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed when its scent hit him fully. There was an unconscious human wench carried between the two wolves. So that was the human he had sensed earlier.

At that very instant, Kouga's words came to mind.

The human wench was his _gift_?

Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth. How dare they insult him in such a manner?

"Lord Sesshoumaru, please accept this gift to seal our agreement," Kouga said, bowing formally as dictated by court protocol.

Sesshoumaru simply stared wordlessly at the fur-wrapped bundle which was now placed on the floor in front of him. With all that fur, he could not even make out what the human looked alike. For all he knew, she could be hideously deformed. Not that he cared one way or another. He did not want or need a human wench anywhere near him. But he knew that he could hardly reject the Northern Lord's gift because if he did, their treaty would be instantly dissolved. The dissolution of the treaty would mean nothing but chaos for both of them. And the last thing Sesshoumaru needed was more disruption to his peace.

The silence dragged on and still, Sesshoumaru could not find the appropriate response to this unexpectedness.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Kouga prompted. His tone contained a hint of uncertainty. "You are not pleased with your gift? I assure you, the wench is comely."

Sesshoumaru wanted to lash out at the wolf for his impertinence. Tamping down his reaction, he simply nodded. "Hn," he grunted noncommittally.

Kouga added hurriedly, "Your father had a comely hime for a concubine. We simply assumed that you would enjoy the company of one too."

They assumed? Sesshoumaru bit back a growl. Although he tolerated humans, he did not seek them for amusement as his father had once done.

"Perhaps it would be wiser if you do not make such assumptions in the future," Sesshoumaru intoned curtly.

The wolf prince's eyes widened before he exchanged an uncomfortable look with the two other wolves. Sesshoumaru knew that the Northern Lord would no doubt hear of this, but at the moment, he simply did not care what the water elemental thought. What possessed Akiyama to do something like this?

Then Sesshoumaru's lips tightened as something occurred to him. Perhaps this was a deliberate act on the Northern Lord's part, knowing that such a gesture would incense him. He would not put it past the devious demon.

A quick glance at the wolf prince told him that his visitor was getting progressively edgy. Much as he hated the thought of it, Sesshoumaru knew that there was only one thing he could say.

"Your gift is accepted, Prince Kouga," he said stiffly.

The three wolves in front of him let out a collective sigh of relief.

Sesshoumaru allowed himself to glower inwardly.

(t.b.c.)

* * *

A/N: So that's the introduction to my new story - I'm a little nervous about it because it's a little different this time. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed reading it. Please review and let me know your thoughts on it. As always, your comments will be greatly appreciated. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing the first chapter of the story – your reviews are very encouraging. I know there are many elements which are confusing at the moment, but I hope that as the story progresses, things will become clear to you. Just to clarify one thing, though; the story is set in 2 timelines – one in the future, one in Kagome and Sesshoumaru's dream Feudal Era. And I will be switching back and forth between the two times. For those of you who are interested, you can visit my deviantart page for the pictures of the cast: elle6778. deviantart. com.

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**A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 2**

The pulsing sound of drumbeats echoed through the house as the hip-hop music blared from upstairs at an ear numbing pitch.

Kagome glared up at the ceiling, wishing that Souta would turn the music down. But she knew that she had no time to bother with her brother at that moment. Pulling on her shoe with one hand and ruffling Sachimaru's silver head with another, she hoped and prayed that she would not be too late.

"Got to go, Sachimaru," she exclaimed hurriedly as she kissed his forehead.

Still munching on his toast, Sachimaru gave her a puffy smile and waved. "Take care, Okaa-san."

Rushing out of the house, Kagome waved goodbye at her mother.

"Good luck with this new job, Kagome," her mother called out.

"I think I definitely need the luck," Kagome replied before she ran down the shrine steps, gritting her teeth all the way.

It was her first day temping at a media company. The temping agency told her that they needed someone to stand in for their permanent receptionist. Apparently, their regular receptionist had fallen ill and had no idea when she would return to work. Much as Kagome hated the thought of benefiting from someone else's misfortune, she could not help but feel relieved that she would continue to earn money this month.

If only she had not lost two years of her life to the coma, she would have finished schooling like any other student and finished up in a university like a normal twenty year old. But of course, she had to go through her education the hard way. Working sporadically during the day and studying like mad every night for three years in a private institution while trying her best to fulfill her duty as Sachimaru's mother was beginning to take its toll. With luck, she would not have to carry on like this. In a month, her course would end and hopefully, she would graduate and find a permanent job in a medical facility somewhere close to home. Not that she would actually spend that much time in the actual facility. She would probably end up on the road most of the time.

That was, of course, if she did not get sacked from this receptionist stint even before she had begun. Turning up late the first day would hardly give anyone a good impression of her. But there was no way she could tell her new boss the real reason for her lateness.

She had another dream last night. Those dreams were getting annoying, she mused sullenly as her feet pounded the pavement, rushing past the morning human traffic. To make things worse, her alarm clock had not rung this morning. Either that, or she had forgotten to set it last night after tucking Sachimaru into bed.

She was beginning to wonder if all those dreams had something to do with her past life. Maybe it was really her in there and all those stuff had happened. Everything had been so vivid and it all seemed so real.

Even now, she could almost see it happening in her mind.

* * *

She found herself jostled back into the land of living as something firm prodded her ribs. Groaning at the fuzziness of her mind and her aching body, she tried to open her eyes but found it hard to do so. If only she could only sleep for a while more. She was so tired, but why was her bed so hard?

"Wench! You will rise," a commanding voice sounded somewhere above her.

Letting out a frustrated groan, she pried her eyes open to find herself staring up at something very white. A few blinks later, the whiteness morphed into a humanoid form. Confusion swamped her. Why was there a stranger in her room?

Then her brain kick-started as the earlier events came flooding back.

She had been kidnapped.

She had been drugged.

And now, she was faced with...

She frowned, eyeing the person in front of her critically. He was easily the best-looking male she had ever set eyes on. His chiseled face was framed with long, white hair and his cheekbones were enhanced with two magenta stripes. The tips of his ears were pointed and his eyes gleamed with a golden hue, clearly labeling him as something other than human. Curiously, there was a crescent moon on his forehead which made him look…regal. But it was the expression on his face and the way he held himself which held her attention.

He was the embodiment of calm and arrogance.

And she did not know what to make of him.

If she would have to guess, she would say that he was yet another demon. Could it be that the well was simply a portal to the demon world? No, that could not be right. She had seen a handful of humans scattered about as they traveled to this place. So what was going on?

She shook her head in an attempt to clear it. This did not happen to _normal_ girls. Normal girls did not end up in some strange world occupied by humans and demons alike. What was next? Fairies, witches and elves?

"Perhaps you're mute?" he asked dryly.

Fully awake now, she shook her head again. "No."

He gave her a look of disdain, his lips curling every so slightly. "You will be joining the servants in their quarters," he intoned flatly, turning to leave. "Jaken, direct her to the servants' quarters."

What? Servants?

Pushing the heavy furs off her body, she jumped to her feet. Clad only in the clothes Kouga had given her, a short dress made out of soft, furry material with tight leggings, she took a step forward. "Wait a minute!" she called out hurriedly, wanting to set the record clear. He needed to know that she was here against her will.

To her disgruntlement, he simply continued to walk away from her, not even bothering to acknowledge her. His steps even looked…aristocratic, a complete contrast to her stumbling gait. Somehow, that very fact irritated her more than his obvious dismissal.

Fighting the urge to stomp her foot, she yelled, "HEY! You can't leave just like that."

She blinked as his back stiffened. Hah! A reaction at last. Slowly, he turned around to face her. This time, she detected a disapproving glint in his eyes. Uh-oh, she thought to herself apprehensively. Maybe it was not a good idea to yell at a demon.

"You shall address those above your station with respect," he ordered coldly.

Her eyes flashed at his highhandedness, her apprehension immediately forgotten. Tilting her chin, she shot back, "Well, I can't address you with anything seeing that I don't even know your name, can I?"

He seemed taken aback at her response. Then, his expression set in hard lines, he ground out, "You will address me as Lord Sesshoumaru."

A lord, huh? So what? And what sort of name was 'Sesshoumaru'? She rolled her eyes. "Well, _Lord_ Sesshoumaru. There's been some mistake here."

He quirked a questioning brow, obviously waiting for her to continue.

"You see. I don't belong here." Gesturing in a random direction, she added earnestly, "That Kouga kidnapped me while I was sleeping. And now, I need to find my way home."

He simply stared at her with that infuriatingly blank look.

She waited for him to reply, but after a while, she realized that he was not going to. Frowning, she prompted impatiently, "Are you listening?"

"There has been no mistake."

Gritting her teeth, she insisted, "Yes, there's been a mistake. Whoever you think I am, I'm not her, alright? I'm not some servant you ordered from Kouga. Do you understand?"

His lips thinned visibly. "It would be prudent for you to mind your tongue, wench. You are merely a gift from the Northern Lord. And now, you are this Sesshoumaru's property."

Her eyes bulged in disbelief. Shock soon gave way to outrage and she flared, "A gift? A property? What am I? A _thing_? I don't care what your deal is with Kouga or whatever Northern Lord, but you can't simply keep me here as a servant against my will."

"Wench, you shall cease your pointless argument."

"Don't call me wench! I have a name. It's Kagome. Ka-Go-Me. Get it?" she snapped, feeling her temper rise another notch. Her hands fisted by her side. Was the guy thick or something? Why was it so hard for him to understand that she was not his property? Breathing heavily, she glared at him. Her entire body buzzed as she tried to rein in the urge to last out with…something.

To her bafflement, surprise flashed in his eyes before a contemplative look settled over his face. He was silent as he studied her intently.

Unnerved by his perusal, she asked irritably, "What is it now?"

"You are a miko," he stated flatly.

"Huh?" Her brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about? I'm not a miko or anything like that. I'm just a regular girl."

"You are a miko," he repeated firmly. After a thoughtful pause, he added, "Your presence could be beneficial."

She eyed him suspiciously. What was going on in that head of his? Deciding that there would be no harm in asking, she went on, "You know, _Lord_ Sesshoumaru? You might want to expand on that. I have no clue what you're going on about."

A muscle in his jaw ticked. "It would be a waste of your powers to assign you the task of a mere servant. You will serve the Western Lands in another manner. However, you are forbidden to purify any demons or else your life would be forfeit."

Kagome gasped. She did not know that it was possible for her to feel even more confused that she had done a few minutes ago. But she was obviously wrong. Abilities? Powers? Purify? Those words were completely alien to her in this context.

Kouga must have tricked him. That was the only explanation she could come up with. Sesshoumaru had expected someone else and Kouga had delivered a 'gift' which did not meet Sesshoumaru's expectations. And she could tell by the absolute certainty in Sesshoumaru's tone that he fully believed what he had just said. And from what she had seen of him so far, he was not likely to change his mind anytime soon.

She simply had to find a way to prove to him that she was not what he expected. When he realized that he could not use her for anything, he would let her go, right? She would need to convince him that she was not a miko. But how?

Kagome stifled a groan.

This was bad.

* * *

Sesshoumaru studied her, careful not to let his curiosity show. He had been surprised to say the least when her aura had flared earlier, revealing her true identity. How had Kouga managed to capture a miko without being purified into dust? Was the wolf prince actually stronger than he had assumed? Or perhaps Akiyama had been the one to capture her and Kouga's task had been simply to deliver her?

The fact that she was a miko was surprising enough, but his brief exposure to the flare of her powers told him that she was no ordinary miko. The strength of her pure power was rare in these days of war, corruption and greed. It made him wonder why she had not attempted to purify him yet. Of course, it was not as if she would succeed. After all, he was mostly immune to purification. Prolonged exposure would only weaken him, not kill him.

It then occurred to him that she might not be the type to extract herself out of a situation by force. From what he had seen so far, she preferred to battle verbally. The only sign of physical aggression he had seen in her so far had been the brief clenching of her fists. Although her language was coarse, he did not sense any deceit in her, even when she had claimed ignorance at his words. Her lack of pretence astounded him. Perhaps that was the reason for the strength of her powers.

This changed everything. A miko was rare, especially one so powerful. They were always sought after. And he had his own reasons for wanting a powerful miko. He required one to perform a specific task. One which could only be carried out by her kind.

She was a young, pretty and powerful miko.

However, he had no intention of making the human wench his concubine, whatever Akiyama and Kouga might think. The very notion made him cringe.

He had planned to send her to the servants' quarters, which was some distance away from the main dwelling. That might not wise after all. His guards and warriors might decide to _entertain_ themselves with her. And Sesshoumaru could not be certain if she would refrain from unleashing her powers on them if forced. One thing he was certain of was that if she decided to do so, none of his guards or warriors would survive.

No, it was certainly unwise to send her to the servant's quarters, he realized with dismay. He would have to secure her in the main palace so that he could keep a close watch on her. At least, until he could ascertain if she was strong enough for the task he had in mind.

A small hand waved in front of him, drawing him out of his contemplations, invading his space. He bit back a growl of annoyance as her wide brown eyes stared into his fearlessly. Her insolence was astounding. He wanted to clamp his claws around her fragile neck, but he realized that to harm her would mean the delay of the task he required her to perform.

"Hey, I'm not lying, you know. I really think there's a mistake here."

"Miko, your words are noted. It is not necessary to repeat yourself." His tone was dry.

"So, aren't you going to do something about it? And don't call me Miko. I'm not one and it bugs me when you do it," she declared with a scowl.

He gave her an almost curious look. "Why do you deny your heritage?"

Eyes widening, she sputtered, "W-what? I'm denying the miko thing because I'm not one. Trust me."

Trust her? His senses never failed him and he was not about to discount what it told him. But for some reason, she was truly convinced that she was not a miko. Perhaps she _believed_ that she was not a miko. Perhaps something had happened to her before she was captured. Something such as the loss the memory and the loss of knowledge of her powers. That would explain her odd responses, Sesshoumaru decided. She certainly did not exhibit the same indiscriminate hate towards demons as was the norm for a typical miko.

Or perhaps she was simply an untrained miko. Yes. That was plausible. Otherwise Akiyama and Kouga would never be able to capture her.

This would be beneficial for him. If she did not possess the usual prejudice against demons, he could harness her powers to be used on his side. He was certain that it would not be an insurmountable task to bring forth her powers. He could only hope that her strength was sufficient to release his foolish hanyou brother from the tree which he had been sealed to since fifty years ago.

Sesshoumaru would have simply left Inuyasha there, if not for the fact that he wanted Inuyasha alive so that he could teach the hanyou a lesson. It incensed him that hanyou had allowed himself to be weak enough to be displayed as the spoils of a battle, not considering that his foolishness brought dishonor to their family. Not only that, Inuyasha's untimely incarceration had meant that he failed to aid the Western Lands in its time of need.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. Yes, the miko would release Inuyasha from Goshinboku. This Sesshoumaru has a bone to pick with his little brother.

Now, the issue was, how was he supposed to convince her that she was a miko?

…………

The engine purred smoothly as Sesshoumaru sped down the highway. As the result of a dream-laden sleep, he had failed to rise at his usual time. And therefore, he was now late for a meeting.

Sesshoumaru grimaced as he recalled his dream.

A miko indeed. It was unthinkable that one of them would be willing to help demons. He remembered how deep their prejudice ran. Even an untrained miko would harbor the same prejudice towards demons. Therefore, the notion of receiving a miko as a gift certainly bordered on the ridiculous.

Sesshoumaru frowned as he tried to remember what he had actually received five hundred years ago from the Northern Lord. Pelts came to mind. However, he could not be certain. The memory appeared to have escaped him. He glowered inwardly, refusing to believe that the centuries had managed to erode his mind. One such as he would never succumb to such a thing.

Still, whatever it was, there was no question that the miko was simply a part of his dream and nothing more.

He decided that his dream was probably a manifestation of the conversation he had with Inuyasha a few days ago concerning his brother's latest flings. He had told Inuyasha that he would under no circumstances bring any of his females home. The conversation had quickly turned physical when Inuyasha challenged his authority.

Sesshoumaru blamed his brother's behavior on one despicable miko. At one time, Inuyasha had been foolish enough to leave himself vulnerable to a certain female. That one mistake, that one vulnerability, had resulted in him being sealed to a tree for fifty years. All for the love for a human miko. It was that experience which had swayed Inuyasha to the other extreme. The hanyou no longer trusted females and hence only sought their company for physical gratification.

There was only one puzzling thing about the entire event. Even until now, they had never ascertained how exactly Inuyasha had released himself from the tree. All Inuyasha could remember was waking up at the base of the tree. And all Sesshoumaru could remember was that the arrow had simply dissolved, breaking the spell.

How odd.

However, it was pointless to speculate upon an event which had occurred over five hundred years ago. He had more urgent issues to deal with at the moment.

Pulling into the underground carpark of the building which housed Taishou Securities, he parked and exited his Porsche. A few moments later, he was walking down the corridor to his office. His secretary, Natsumi, greeted him cheerfully as he passed her.

"Oh, Rin called, Mr. Taishou," the golden-haired female inuyoukai informed him.

"And the meeting?"

"Oh, Katsuo is holding the fort for now. You can settle in first," Natsumi said with a smile.

"Hn."

Entering his office, Sesshoumaru promptly set his briefcase on the oak desk and peered out through the blinds. The congested morning traffic appeared like miniature boxes from his window on the fifteenth floor. Turning back to his desk, he sat down and picked up the phone. Not long after he had dialed a number from memory, a female voice answered.

"Rin?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru's lips quirked. No matter how many times she had been admonished, Rin still continued to address him by his old title. It was fortunate that those close to him were all demons who had known him by the same title in the past, otherwise it would have raised a few eyebrows.

"You called."

"I just wanted to remind you to turn up in a few weeks to the premiere of the Demon Carnival. Shippou is presenting a new bunch of performers. His already sent out the complimentary tickets and everyone under Taishou Holdings should get it soon."

His eyebrow rose. "New performers?" As far as he knew, the rotation comprised of no new demons.

Rin laughed. "Well. No one you haven't met before. But they are from the Third Rotation. We haven't seen them for a few years and it's going to be like a reunion. Oh, and we got a few transfers from outside."

"I see." So, outsiders had decided to join them. Idly, Sesshoumaru wondered who they might be.

The Demon Carnival had been created for the sole purpose of allowing the demons a few decades of reprieve from all the concealment. Sponsored by Taishou Holdings, the carnival moved from one town to another, staying for months or even years at a time, performing feats which the humans considered outrageous, but entertaining. Apart from allowing the demons to live without the hassle of concealment, the tight-knit carnival community also allowed them to practice their demonic skills without restraint. Many demons tended to view the carnival work as an extended vacation.

Suppressing their demonic powers often became tedious after some time. Hence many demons tended to appreciate the opportunity to be themselves. They could, of course, visit one of the private islands owned by the more affluent demons. However, such trips tended to be short due to the prohibitive cost.

"So I'll see you there then?" Rin's voice was hopeful.

Sesshoumaru stifled a sigh. The last thing he wanted to do was to spend the night surrounded by a crowd of rowdy human employees cheering on the demon performers, thinking that what they were seeing was merely magic tricks and high-tech effects. Little did they know that those displays by the demons were real. His demon employees would no doubt turn up for the event as well. However, their reaction would be more to criticize the techniques used in the performances.

It was the same each time.

"Sesshoumaru-sama? Please?" Rin coaxed.

After so many centuries, he knew that any protest would be futile. Rin had always managed to get to him.

"Hn."

"Great! I'll see you there then."

Sesshoumaru hung up and stared his cellphone. He should really attempt to harden his heart against Rin, but ever since he had revived her with Tenseiga five centuries ago, she had been by his side and had somehow wormed her way into his heart.

Being a human, it had not taken long before she grew up to be a young woman. Much to his consternation, she had grown up to be beautiful. Soon enough, he had ended up spending much of his valuable time threatening lustful males who was foolish enough to pursue her. However, no amount of threats had worked once Rin met Shippou, a young kitsune. To his credit, Shippou had been nothing but respectful towards Rin until they finally mated.

Sesshoumaru supposed that he should be thankful to the kitsune. After all, without their mating, Rin would not be here today.

For that, he would deign to suffer through another carnival.

And now it was time for him to join the meeting. He disliked meeting with humans, however, he could not avoid them all the time. Walking out of his office, he headed down the building towards the meeting room. Tracking Katsuo's scent, he made his way down the corridor until he reached the room at the end of the hallway.

Even through the door, he knew that Katsuo was aware of his presence. Without knocking, Sesshoumaru pushed the door open and went into the soundproof room. As with all other meeting rooms, this one was also bare apart from the two paintings on the wall, an oval meeting table and the padded chairs around it.

Seated in one of those chairs was the chairman of the research laboratory, the one which had been attacked just two nights ago. Sesshoumaru's nose twitched at the heavy scent of cologne in the air. Gritting his teeth, he tamped down his annoyance. Was it absolutely necessary for the human to drown himself in the vile product?

"Ah, Mr. Taishou," the human exclaimed, extending his hand.

Trying to ignore the almost unbearable waft of cologne, Sesshoumaru inclined his head as he shook the human's hand. He would make sure that this meeting did not last long. "Mr. Sagara," he greeted as he took a seat opposite the human. "I believe you have been briefed on the situation?"

Sagara nodded, a small frown appearing between his brows. "It is worrying. How did they get close enough to release the gas?" he grumbled.

"They approached from the roof and entered the rooftop service area," Sesshoumaru explained. "Since that area does not belong to your company, it is not possible for us to secure it."

"Can't you just post someone up there?"

This human was truly dense, Sesshoumaru decided irritably. "That is trespassing, Mr. Sagara. Perhaps you would like to discuss the possibility of access with your neighbors," he suggested evenly.

Sagara muttered absently, "It is crucial that our research remains protected. We cannot afford any leaks to our competitors. That is why I hired the best security firm in the market to guard it."

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to snarl. Did the human think that he did not know that? When he responded, his voice was bland. "There has been no leakage. The situation was adequately contained."

Sighing, the chairman leaned back against his seat. "Thank you, Mr. Taishou. It's just that with all the competition in the perfume market, we could not afford to let anyone know what we're up to."

"Your concerns are noted." His tone was dry.

Oblivious to Sesshoumaru's irritation, Sagara asked, "Can you find out who's behind this?"

"The process in underway as we speak. Do you wish to question the intruders?"

The human quickly shook his head. "No. I'll leave it in your capable hands. Keep the police out of this. I don't trust them."

"Hn."

With that, the human stood up and extended his hand. "Well. I look forward to hearing from you."

Sesshoumaru took the proffered hand, taking care not to exert too much force. "You will be contacted when we have more information." Gesturing at the grey-haired demon near the door, Sesshoumaru added, "Katsuo will see you out."

The human nodded and then headed towards the door, leaving behind another waft of cologne as he swept out of the meeting room.

* * *

Kagome had shown up late to work on her first day but strangely enough, no one seemed to mind. Once she had been shown the ropes, she had been left mostly on her own, with only the security guard as company. After only two days of working as a receptionist, Kagome was glad that she had decided to take her intensive classes to become a paramedic. There was no way she would survive a job which required her to be polite all the time, especially when there were idiots involved.

Dropping her eyes to the textbook in front of her, she continued to study until a discreet series of blips interrupted her. Picking up the call, she greeted the caller and took note of who he wanted to speak to.

"Please hold on," Kagome said politely into the mouthpiece.

Pressing a button, she transferred the call to the ninth floor. Then she leaned back against the comfortable seat. This office definitely spared nothing when it came to comfort. Everything from the little artificial waterfall in the corner to the strategically placed frosted glass partitions screamed money. Kagome sighed. She just wished that she had _that_ much money.

The buzzer sounded, startling her from her quiet contemplation. Straightening, she pressed the flashing button. "IY Media and Entertainment. Kagome speaking. How may I help?"

"Hi, I got a delivery here for Ikazuchi Hiten."

Kagome glanced questioningly at the security guard at the entrance. He immediately went to the monitor at a discreet corner and studied the close circuit camera display. Then turning to her, he nodded.

"Come on in," Kagome said as she pressed another button to release the lock on the door.

The delivery boy walked up to her a dropped a large package on the reception desk. Handing her a sheet of paper, he pointed to a dotted line and instructed, "Sign here."

Kagome quickly scribbled down her signature and returned the paper to the delivery boy. Eyeing the package curiously, she placed a call to the seventh floor. When it was answered, she said, "There's a package here for Mr. Ikazuchi."

The girl on the other end of the line told her that she would come down to pick it up.

A few minutes later, a bubbly girl with short black hair walked up. Smiling, Kagome passed her the heavy package. To her surprise, the girl's eyes widened in excitement and she began to tear the package open right at the reception. Kagome eyed her warily. Should she be opening the package at all? After all, it was addressed to Ikazuchi Hiten.

Then the girl held up a handful of what looked like tickets. "It's finally here!" she exclaimed.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Oh! Tickets to the Demon Carnival," she explained. Pulling out two tickets, she thrust them at a surprised Kagome. "Here, have a couple."

"Huh?" Her eyes widened. She had heard about the carnival, but it was not something that she could afford to go to. And now she was being _offered_ tickets? But maybe the girl did not know that she was just temping here. Kagome sighed inwardly. Sachimaru would have loved to see it.

The girl grinned. "Don't worry. They are complimentary tickets since IY Media and Entertainment sponsors them from time to time."

Kagome eyed the tickets longingly. "B-But…I'm just temping here."

Waving a dismissive hand, the girl said, "It doesn't matter. Take it." With that, she dropped the tickets in front of Kagome. "What's your name?"

"Higurashi Kagome," she replied automatically.

"Great. I'll just pop your name on the list. These tickets are for the first night, the premiere, so it is guest-list only."

Kagome stared at her with slack jaw as the girl swept out of the reception area. And then her eyes lowered to the tickets.

"Just take it, girl."

Her eyes shot up, making contact with the guard's.

"Yura is in a generous mood today. Better take advantage of it," he remarked wryly.

Kagome blinked. Then she grinned. "I'll keep it then."

The guard nodded in approval. Eyes twinkling, he said, "Good. Just be careful when you meet all the demons, alright? Some of them don't know how to behave."

Demons indeed, she thought with a laugh. "Sure."

She could only imagine those performers in the carnival all dressed up with tails and fake fangs. Somewhat like her odd dreams, she supposed. Her imagination must be wilder than she had known.

She could understand how she came up with Sesshoumaru's looks. After all, she had a miniature version of him running around at home. Grinning, she realized that their names even sounded the same. Sesshoumaru and Sachimaru. Yes, she must have been imagining someone who could be Sachimaru's father.

After all, Jii-chan had more than once claimed that Sachimaru was a demon child. According to her grandfather, Sachimaru's silver hair and golden eyes were definitely demonic traits, not to mention his slightly pointed ears. Kagome grinned. She had listened so much to Jii-chan's stories about demons and fairy-tales that her mind had decided to supply her with her own story.

Even to the extent of populating her dream world with other demons.

Propping her chin up, she let her mind wander back to her dream, recalling how odd some of them had looked.

* * *

She found herself led somewhere in the castle by a small creature which looked suspiciously like a toad. She squinted at it, watching as he hobbled in front of her with a weird-looking staff with two equally weird heads perched at the top.

As they turned corner after corner, she realized that the place was huge. It was done in the traditional Japanese wooden frame with mainly bamboo coverings and washi paper screens. The corridor was illuminated with strategically placed oil lanterns that flickered gently as they passed.

The creature stopped abruptly. Kagome caught herself just before she barreled into him.

Sliding open the shoji, he stood aside to allow her entrance. "This is your room, Miko."

Sesshoumaru had called the creature Jaken. With a nod of thanks, she said, "Thank you, Jaken."

The creature's eyes widened slightly, as if he was surprised to be thanked. Then, with an unintelligible croak, he spun around and walked away.

Not knowing what to make of Jaken's strange behavior, she simply shrugged and walked into her room, sliding the shoji shut behind her. A pair of brown eyes began to scan the sparsely furnished room. Apart from a rolled up futon against the wall with a neat pile of beddings beside it, a clay pot in the corner, a low table and a small chest at the opposite side, there was nothing else in the room. Unless, of course, she counted the two hanging scrolls on the otherwise bare wall. Lord or not, Sesshoumaru definitely did not care much for luxuries, she decided humorlessly. But at least it was far better than spending the night in the wild or on a dirt floor.

Noticing another shoji screen on the opposite side of the room, she padded across the tatami curiously. Not knowing what she might encounter on the other side, she cautiously slid the screen open.

Her eyes widened as she took in the view before her.

The moonlight shone brightly, illuminating the outdoor space in front of her. Carefully tended grass sloped down gently from a wooden platform in front of the screen, leading to an outcrop of smooth boulders of various sizes. The boulders formed a natural enclosure to what appeared to be a hot spring. She could see the gentle steam curling up from where she stood.

The entire courtyard before her was bounded by four identical wings of the building, all with shoji screens facing the centrally located hot spring. She could see why it was done in such a manner. With no other way to access the courtyard except from the rooms, one was assured of privacy and peace.

Well, it seemed that Sesshoumaru cared more about natural beauty than luxurious furniture, she thought with amusement. Now that she thought about it, she was not too surprised. He seemed to be the type.

She sighed as she inhaled a deep breath of air, noticing how fresh it was compared to her home in Tokyo. A couple of days had passed since she last seen her mother, her grandfather and Souta. She missed them terribly and she feared that it might be some time yet before she found her way home.

A scraping sound tore her attention away from the landscape before her, making her tense involuntarily. She turned around to find a golden-haired girl bowing at the open shoji on the opposite side of the room. The girl was young, probably her own age. But what caught Kagome's eyes was her golden tail swaying behind her as she bowed.

"Miko," she greeted respectfully. "I'm Natsumi. Jaken asked me to bring you some clothes."

That was when Kagome noticed the pile of cloth in the other girl's arms. Missing her own clothes and realizing how uncomfortable the furry clothes were, Kagome brightened. "That's for me?"

Natsumi nodded with a small smile. Glancing at the wooden chest against the wall, she asked, "It is alright if I put them in the chest?"

"Of course," she replied, rushing over to help her.

"If you wish to cleanse yourself, the hotsprings are outside in the courtyard and there is a bathhouse next to Lord Sesshoumaru's chambers," the girl informed her.

Kagome refrained from making a face. There was no way she was going near Sesshoumaru's bathhouse. The hotsprings, however, must be the one she saw just now.

As they sorted out the clothes together, she noticed that there were twin sets of plain yukatas, black hakamas and matching cream hakamashitas as well as the traditional Japanese socks, tabi. Her lips twisted. If she ever returned home, she would be an expert at traditional Japanese wear.

Then she froze as a thought occurred to her. Based on what she had seen so far, she could well be in the past. After all, apart from the demons, everything else seemed to fit what she read in her history books. Her eyes widened at the implication. What if she did something to mess up the natural course of history? What would happen if she accidentally erased her family and friends in the future?

Knowing that she had to find out for sure, she turned to the other girl. "Um…Natsumi?"

The girl looked up from her task of arranging the clothes. "Yes, Miko?"

Uncomfortable with the title, she quickly said, "Call me Kagome. That's my name."

Natsumi hesitated for a moment. And then she nodded. "Kagome. Do you need something?"

"Can you tell me what year is this?"

Natsumi's brow furrowed. "I don't understand."

She decided to try another line of questioning. Wracking her brain to unearth her history lessons, she tried, "Okay…erm…does the Kamakura era sound familiar to you?"

The other girl's expression showed her bewilderment. "Oh. That is over. We're now in the Sengoku era," she explained, giving Kagome an odd look.

It was obvious that the girl thought she was mad, Kagome realized. But at least now she knew that she was about five hundred years in the past.

Natsumi stood up. "If there isn't anything else, I'll leave you to rest."

She nodded. "Thank you for your help."

Natsumi smiled at her and bade her goodnight. "_Oyasumi nasai_." And then made her way out of the room, sliding the shoji shut behind her.

Kagome walked back to the other shoji and stared out worriedly into the courtyard.

What was she going to do now?

* * *

Sesshoumaru was already awake by the time the first rays of light streaked between the mountains to reach across the sky. Seated cross-legged on the cushion behind the low table in this study, he sifted through the scrolls in front of him.

After a moment, he gave them a withering look. Land deeds, records of disputes, crops productivity logs, all of the scrolls blurred into one fine mess in front of him. It had been far too long since he had last taken a rest from the tedious governing of his lands.

Giving up on the scrolls, Sesshoumaru stood up and walked to the end of the room. Sliding the shoji open, he stared out at the landscaped courtyard in front of him. The whole area was bathed in a soft orangey glow of the dawn. As peace settled over him, Sesshoumaru stepped out onto the wooden platform and sat down.

Closing his eyes, he prepared himself for meditation. Sinking into the place of peace, Sesshoumaru released the petty troubles which plagued him.

He did not know how much time had passed before a shrill squeal interrupted the tranquility. His eyes snapped open abruptly and his lips thinned at being yanked so rudely out of his peaceful state.

A splashing sound could be heard not far from where he sat, but the origin of the sound was obstructed by a large boulder. Silently, he unwound his legs and launched himself a short distance until he landed on the top of a boulder.

The view which greeted him made him raise his brows.

The miko was immersed in the steaming water, splashing happily. Her hair streamed behind her as she swam from one end of the spring to another as if she was a fish. As she reached the edge of the spring closest to him, she stopped and straightened.

Sesshoumaru knew he that should avert his gaze, but he also knew that if he moved, she would discover his presence. And something told him that his ears would suffer gravely if that should happen.

So he remained still as he watched her toss her wet hair back, sprinkling droplets of water everywhere. Her eyes were shut in apparent bliss, unaware that her provocative actions were being observed. Her flat stomach, slick with dampness, disappeared into the water. With her arms raised, he could see the swell of her breasts covered by two tiny pieces of white cloth, practically transparent in its wetness.

Involuntarily, his body responded to the visual challenge. Gritting his teeth, Sesshoumaru willed himself to maintain control and quickly averted his gaze. It seemed that he had gone far too long without satisfying his carnal demands. He should have sought the company of a female long before then. But with all his responsibilities, the notion had not even occurred to him until now.

He glowered. How dare she flaunt her human body before him? The miko had only been there for one night and she was already complicating matters. Not only was she insolent and disrespectful, now she had the audacity to tempt him with her state of undress. He began to wonder if her miko powers were worth all the trouble. With her ignorance, he would never know for sure until he did something to encourage the emergence of her powers.

Perhaps he had been too hasty in accepting the Northern Lord's gift. Perhaps he should have demanded that Akiyama brought him something else. Sesshoumaru grimaced, knowing that he could not possibly return the miko to Akiyama without offending the elemental. Not to mention that with the miko's potential strength, Akiyama would be invincible if she chose to ally herself with him. Sesshoumaru supposed that considering the circumstances, he had done the only thing he could do.

The sudden silence brought him out of his contemplations. Glancing down from the rock, he noticed that the miko was gone. Sesshoumaru immediately released the breath he had not realized he was holding.

With a graceful leap, he found himself back on the wooden platform in front of his study.

A soft sound reached his sensitive ears. It came from the direction of the miko's room. To his surprise, he realized that she was singing some strange song. Her voice was strangely haunting, completely at odds with the shrill tone she had used with him last night. His eyes narrowed as he hardened his resolve. It was time that he did something about her. The miko needed to earn her keep.

Once she was sufficiently prepared, she would release Inuyasha.

* * *

A/N: Okay, I hope that the picture is becoming clearer now. Anyway, let me know if it's not and I'll try to clear it up if it doesn't involve giving away the plot:P. As always, please review and let me know what you think! 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: As always, thanks for reading and reviewing the last chapter. Now that the background bit is mostly done, the story will begin to focus on the actual plot. Please enjoy…

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 3**

The hotsprings had been blissful, Kagome thought with a sigh as she padded barefoot onto the tatami mat carpeting her room. When Natsumi had told her about it last night, she had felt a little apprehensive about bathing out in the open. However, the place had been temptingly deserted this morning and anyway, it was not as if she was completely naked. Still, she missed the amenities in modern Tokyo even though she had only been in the Feudal Era for a few days.

She still could not quite figure out how the old dried up well in the shrine grounds had managed to transport her five hundred years into the past. As exciting as it was to see history first hand, she knew that she had to get home. The first thing she needed to do today was to convince that arrogant demon lord to allow her to leave. After all, this was all a big mistake, right? Yes, she would find him and talk to him about it as soon as she finished dressing.

Her decision made, she hummed to herself as she put on her new clothes. Not exactly used to wearing traditional garb, she had fumbled for a while before she figured out how to put everything together. There were strips of cloth which she assumed meant for binding her breasts, but since she had no idea how to do it, she decided to forgo it. Her bra was damp from her swim, so she had to manage without it as well for the time being.

The thick cream hakamashita had gone on first, followed by the black hakama. She tucked in the ends like what she had seen in the pages of her history books. Dimly, she realized that what she wore resembled the outfit of a priestess in this era. Jaken must have had that in mind when he ordered Natsumi to deliver the clothes.

As she was about to close the wooden chest, Kagome noticed an ornately decorated box. Curious, she lifted it out and flipped the lid open. Inside, there was a small tub of what appeared to be white powder. Next to it was a small bamboo brush, a stick of what looked like charcoal and another red stick.

"Oh!" she exclaimed out loud as she finally recognized the contents of the box as the olden day version of makeup. She toyed with the idea of applying it and then quickly changed her mind when the image of a geisha flashed across her mind.

Lowering the box back to where it came from, Kagome closed the chest and straightened. Just then, a soft tap came from the shoji screen.

Kagome stilled. "Yes?" she called out, wondering who it was.

The shoji screen slid open to reveal Natsumi. "_Ohayou Gozaimasu_," she greeted politely as she balanced a tray on her palms.

Kagome smiled as she returned the greeting, eyeing the tray held by the other girl. The smell which came from it reminded her of how hungry she was.

"Breakfast," Natsumi announced needlessly as she placed the tray on a small table.

"Thank you," Kagome replied, eyeing the tray hungrily.

"You should eat before it gets cold."

Nodding her agreement, Kagome quickly sat on the floor and began devouring the simple breakfast comprising of rice, pickles and soup.

"Lord Sesshoumaru wishes you to join him in the dojo after breakfast, Miko…Kagome."

She looked up with a confused frown. "Huh? Why?"

Natsumi gave her an apologetic look. "He did not say why. Simply that you will join him there." Then, hesitantly, the girl added, "It is best that you comply with his wishes."

Kagome's lips tightened. Who did Sesshoumaru think he was, ordering people about like that? It was just as well that she would be bored out of her mind with nothing to do or else she would decide to stay put just to spite him. And anyway, she would need to see him to get him to understand that she was _not_ a miko and that he should let her leave.

Polishing off the last of her food, Kagome sighed in contentment and picked the tray up. Now that her stomach was full, she felt more energized.

Natsumi quickly intercepted her. "I'll clean it up. You should go, Kagome. Just turn right and walk till the end. Turn left and go straight out of the side door. Turn right and follow the garden path until you reach a door, and then turn left. The dojo is right there."

Blinking at the rapid instruction, Kagome tried to absorb it all. Right, left, right, left. It could not be that hard, right? "Thank you," she said uncertainly as she began to head towards the shoji.

The other girl's voice halted her. "Kagome?"

Kagome turned around to give her a questioning look. "Yes?"

Natsumi gestured to the wooden chest and then at her face. "Aren't you going to prepare your face?"

Eyes widening, Kagome quickly shook her head and laughed nervously. "Uh…I think I'll give it a miss. Especially seeing that I'm going to a dojo." She hoped that Natsumi would not insist that she painted her face. Walking around looking like a geisha was not something she intended to do.

The other girl simply gave her an odd look before she nodded.

Sighing in relief, Kagome smiled and quickly walked out of the room.

* * *

. 

The dojo was situated at the south end of the compound, separated from the servants' quarters by the armory. Not knowing what miko training entailed, Sesshoumaru had selected this location for the pending meeting for its versatility.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the impatient hanyou beside him. Katsuo had been his general for the past half a century and his most prized warrior for a quarter of a century before that. Although relatively young, Katsuo had served the Western Lands well and Sesshoumaru was certain that he would continue to do so.

Katsuo had been giving him questioning looks ever since he had been summoned away from his routine morning training. It was obvious that the hanyou wanted to return to his daily task of training the warriors.

However, Katsuo's presence was required as he was the only one in the entire place who could assist with the miko situation. The reason was simple. Whilst his father was an inuyoukai, the hanyou's mother was a village miko. Katsuo had never spoken about the circumstances behind his conception, but it was common knowledge that his father and mother never mated and that his mother hated demons with vengeance.

Strangely enough, even though Katsuo had lived with his mother until the day she had died, he had never lost his demonic fighting instincts. It had been that instinct which had caught Sesshoumaru's attention when he was passing the village one day, as Katsuo single-handedly held off a group of demon bandits from attacking the village. Katsuo had been instantly recruited then. Over the years, his knowledge of miko practices and his immunity to purification had benefited the Western Lands more than once.

Knowing that it was time to inform his general of his role, Sesshoumaru said, "Your task would be to train a human miko. You will ensure that her powers are brought forth without delay."

Katsuo looked stunned. Then an expression of misgiving crossed his face. "A miko, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru arched a questioning brow.

"Wouldn't it be better if we summoned a village miko or something to revive her powers?" Katsuo ventured hesitantly, after a while.

"You have observed your mother as you grew up, have you not?" Sesshoumaru asked flatly, slightly irritated at his general's obvious reluctance to train the miko.

Katsuo nodded. "Yes. But that doesn't mean I could train a miko. What if I make a mistake?"

"You're not one to make mistakes easily, Katsuo," Sesshoumaru said dryly.

Sighing heavily, Katsuo questioned, "Why is it so important that I do it?"

Katsuo's query was valid. Sesshoumaru simply had no intention of letting other mikos corrupt her into hating demons. This miko would be on their side. And she would be sufficiently trained to release Inuyasha from his pitiful state. It incensed him that Inuyasha had been weak enough to allow himself to be sealed to a tree. Furthermore, the sealing had occurred at the most inappropriate time, preventing Inuyasha from carrying out his duty as the son of Inu-no-Taishou.

Irregardless of how valid his general's query was, Sesshoumaru had no intention of explaining Inuyasha's disgraceful situation. "You question this Sesshoumaru?" he asked coldly.

His grey-haired general stiffened. "Forgive me, Lord Sesshoumaru. It will not happen again."

"Hn."

At that very moment, Sesshoumaru sensed the approach of the human. He allowed his gaze to travel until his eyes landed on the approaching miko, noting idly that her appearance had improved marginally with her new garment. At that thought, an involuntary flash of her naked skin suddenly came to his mind, making him tense in reflex. Disgusted with him wayward thoughts, he quickly brushed away the image.

When she reached them, Sesshoumaru found a pair of determined brown eyes fixed on him. "So, you _summoned_ me, Lord Sesshoumaru?" she asked. "It's a good thing, since I need to talk to you about something."

Her tone was polite, but he did not miss the inflection on the word 'summoned'. Making sure that his expression showed nothing of his annoyance, ignored her latter sentence and intoned, "You will undergo training under Katsuo."

She flicked a brief glance at the silent Katsuo. A look of bewilderment crossed her face as she asked,. "What do you mean? Training? What on earth do I need training for?"

"To bring forth your powers."

She shook her head quickly. "No. I don't need whatever power it is that you think I have."

"The training would be beneficial to your strength, Miko. This Sesshoumaru suggests you take advantage of it," Sesshoumaru said tightly, hating how he had to stoop so low as to _persuade_ her to accept the offer. It was bad enough that he required her assistance in the first place.

A frown made its way to her forehead. "Um…I think you're wasting your time. Why don't you just let me go? I'm useless to you."

"This Sesshoumaru's senses do not lie. You possess the power of a miko," he said with absolute certainty.

She let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. If this is what I need to do to convince you that I'm not a miko, then I'll do it," she snapped irritably.

It was obvious to him that she had every intention of proving him wrong. However, he had no doubt that with proper training, she would turn out to be useful. Satisfied with his deductions, he gave her a curt nod before he turned to Katsuo.

"You may commence," he intoned.

Katsuo bowed respectfully.

Spinning around, Sesshoumaru made his way down the steps leading away from the dojo. Now that the miko was dealt with, he could concentrate on other, more pressing issues. Heading towards his study, his mind began to run over the items which required his attention.

Once ensconced in his study, he progressively went through the pile of scrolls.

The day passed quickly for Sesshoumaru and the next thing he knew, the sun was already setting. Straightening, he glanced down at the diminished pile of scrolls, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction at his success in making a dent in the never-ending pile of work.

It was time for him to inspect upon the miko's progress.

"Shin," he called out.

The shoji immediately slid open and his inuyoukai guard stepped in. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?" he queried respectfully.

"Summon Katsuo and the miko."

The guard nodded once and left, sliding the screen shut behind him.

It did not take long before Sesshoumaru felt Katsuo's approach. He could also sense the miko's gentler aura which emanated happiness and to his puzzlement, mischief. It was completely at odds with the emotions she had displayed during their previous encounters. Could it be because of Katsuo? Had the hanyou managed to change her mind so quickly?

What concerned him, however, was the mischief. What was the miko up to? Before he could arrive at an answer to his question, a soft tap sounded.

"Enter."

Katsuo appeared with the miko close behind him. "Lord Sesshoumaru," he greeted with bow.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head at his general, noticing that the miko did not even bother looking at him. Her manners were appalling, even by human standards. Not that he was overly familiar with human culture.

He narrowed his eyes at her, willing her to submit, to acknowledge his superior station.

Katsuo stiffened visibly beside her, but the miko simply stared at him fearlessly. Why did she not fear him like the others? Did she not possess any sense of self preservation? If he had wanted to, and if he did not require the use of her skills, he would have simply relieved her of her life. His annoyance at her behavior was certainly more than sufficient to override the fact that she was a gift from the Northern Lord.

"You will show your respect, Miko," he finally demanded in a clipped tone.

Her eyes widened in a parody of innocence. Then she bowed, somehow managing to make the small action mocking. Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. It seemed that the miko required lessons in manners as well as the miko training. He would decide on the appropriate action later. Ignoring her, he turned his attention to Katsuo.

"Report on the training."

Katsuo nodded. "I've trained her in the basic art of meditation. The miko is now able to meditate continuously for half an hour."

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to groan. "Half an hour," he repeated flatly. "Was that all she was capable of?"

Katsuo flicked glance at the miko. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru," he replied, but there was a hint of strain in his tone.

Sesshoumaru immediately sensed that his general was hiding something. Suspicious of his general's odd behavior, he asked pointedly, "Is there something you wish to add, Katsuo? Perhaps an assessment of how long you require to complete this task?"

"I-It is too soon to tell. She is completely untrained."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. "In more ways than one, it seems." His tone was dry. "Perhaps you should instruct her on the appropriate level of conduct expected of one in her position."

"Hey! Don't talk about me like I'm not here," the miko interjected indignantly.

Continuing to ignore her, Sesshoumaru ordered, "You will proceed to instruct her to call forth her powers. Meditation is not required."

The miko interjected, "The training is not required in the first place!"

Sesshoumaru kept his eyes fixed on Katsuo, suppressing his mounting irritation at her interruption.

Katsuo's eyes flickered. His tone was respectful when he explained, "It is the basic step, Lord Sesshoumaru. After this, she would undergo more advanced training."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and willed forth his patience. This was more complicated that he had thought. The miko would be useless to him if all she learnt was meditation. But knowing that Katsuo was trying his best, he finally nodded and said, "Very well. Report to me every evening on her progress. This Sesshoumaru expects to see improvement. You're dismissed."

Katsuo bowed as he turned around to leave, only pausing when he realized that he was alone. The miko, it seemed, did not wish to be dismissed, Sesshoumaru thought darkly. Perhaps this was the appropriate time to remind her of her station. At Katsuo's questioning look, Sesshoumaru gestured for him to leave.

Leaving the miko alone in the chamber with him.

Taking a deep breath, she began, "Look, I know you want me to train so that I serve you. But can you just let me explain why I can't stay here?"

He raised a brow, but he did not stop her from continuing.

"I'm not from this place. Few days ago, I got dragged into the well near my home, and the next thing I know, I ended up in some forest. There was this weird centipede demon who was chasing me, so I just ran. When I finally got away from her, I was already lost. I tried to find my way back to the well, but I must have been going in the wrong direction because everything was unfamiliar. It was growing dark, so I decided to rest. Kouga captured me when I was asleep and then drugged me to bring me here," she finished, eyeing him expectantly.

He knew of the lowly centipede demon she had referred to. The creature had once possessed the Shikon no Tama until she had been relieved of the bauble by demon slayers. He had thought that the demon had been slain. Perhaps he was mistaken. It was clear, thought, that the miko's words were sincere, for he was able to sense a lie. However, the circumstances behind her capture held no interest to him.

"So?" she prompted impatiently.

He gave her a stony look. "Return to your chambers, Miko. Your presence here is no longer required."

She sputtered disbelievingly, "That's it? That's all you're going to say?" Glaring at him, she yelled, "I had enough of this. I'm going to leave whether you like it or not!"

Sesshoumaru felt his anger spike at her insolence. He had reached the end of his patience. In a blink of an eye, he had her neck in a firm grip. As she choked in his hold, he raised her off the floor. She would learn to fear him.

"S-Sess…Unh…" she gasped. "L-Let me go!"

"Remember this, Miko," he hissed into her face. A feeling of satisfaction rose in him when he saw the hint of fright in her eyes for the first time. The pungent scent of her fear laced her own peach scent as she tried to dislodge his clawed fingers. Tightening his grip to reinforce his words, he added, "You will learn to show respect to those above your station."

With that, he released her, allowing her to crumple to her hands and knees. His expression was impassive as he watched her heave for breath. The raspy sound tore through the otherwise silent chamber. A twinge of something coursed through him at the sight, making him oddly uncomfortable. Lips tightening, he dismissed the unwanted feeling.

When her breath had evened out somewhat, she turned to him.

He had expected her to be submissive.

He was wrong.

Her eyes flashed with anger and resentment as she stared mutely at him. Then, struggling to her feet, she spun around and walked out, leaving him alone in his study.

* * *

. 

Seated at the imported oak dining table in the kitchen, Sesshoumaru glowered at the steam rising from his tea. He had woken up in the middle of the night to find himself unable to return to sleep. This dream of his was ridiculous. He would never have allowed a miko to treat him with such disrespect. However delectable her naked body appeared to be.

Let alone instruct Katsuo to train her. His general had better things to occupy himself than training a miko. Though he had to admit that if Inuyasha had not succeeded in releasing himself, there was a slight possibility that he would order the capture of a miko to force her to release the hanyou.

The sound of jangling keys reached him and then he heard the front door open. A moment later, Inuyasha appeared in the kitchen.

"You're still awake? Don't you have work tomorrow?" his brother asked.

"Indeed." His tone was dry.

Sesshoumaru's nose flared in distaste at the scent which trailed in with the hanyou. It was obvious that Inuyasha had spent the earlier parts of the night rutting. Right before his eyes, Inuyasha shed his concealment, revealing a pair of dog ears, fangs and clawed hands.

"Do we have any food around here?" Inuyasha asked as he pulled the fridge door open and stuck his head inside.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. Perhaps he should have assigned Inuyasha to another rotation instead of assigning the hanyou to the same one as him. It was his own mistake for keeping those close to him within the same rotation. Being in the same rotation meant that when they move from one country to another, all of those in one particular rotation would end up in the same country within a few years of each other.

And now, with Inuyasha living with him, there was no escaping the hanyou's presence. Sesshoumaru took a small measure of relief in the fact that Inuyasha was not working in Taishou Securities. Instead, the hanyou currently headed the media and entertainment sector of Taishou Holdings. It was a useful branch which allowed them to monitor the media for demonic activities and other events which may affect the demon population in general. On rare occasions, IY Media and Entertainment had also been responsible for the cover up of accidental demonic activities.

The slamming of doors as Inuyasha searched through the cupboards broke his contemplations. As Inuyasha moved, the scent of rutting continued to waft towards him. Sesshoumaru lifted his eyes, his nose flared in revulsion.

"You should curb your distasteful habits, Inuyasha."

Turning around, Inuyasha widened his eyes. "What do you mean? Eating?" he asked sarcastically as he pulled out a bowl of ramen from the cupboard.

"Females," Sesshoumaru bit out disapprovingly.

A pair of dog ears twitched. "We're not having this conversation again," Inuyasha bit out in a clipped tone.

"One day, you might find yourself fathering pups with one of your playthings."

"Keh! As if I'll rut with them while they're in heat," the hanyou retorted carelessly as he poured hot water into the ramen. "I'm not that stupid."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. Due to their wealth and Inuyasha's lifestyle, there had been many attempts in the past where women had claimed that one of them had fathered their child. Sesshoumaru was certain that he had never fathered one. Inuyasha, however, was another matter.

"Have you not been reading your messages?" Sesshoumaru asked evenly. "Less than three years ago, Shin saw a picture of an abandoned boy with hair and eyes like ours."

Inuyasha gave him an incredulous look. "How is that even possible? I was with you in the States for the last three decades."

"Perhaps you rutted with a Japanese tourist," Sesshoumaru suggested flatly.

"Hey, the kid could be yours," his brother pointed out before he paused in thought. His eyes flashing mirthfully, the hanyou continued, "Oh, hang on. That can't be true. You'd need to rut with someone to sire a pup." Then Inuyasha burst out in laughter.

Sesshoumaru glowered at his brother. Just because he was more discreet in taking his pleasure, it did not mean that he did not enjoy a female's body on occasion. A small voice within him pointed out that such an occasion had not occurred in the recent past, something like over a century or so, but Sesshoumaru quickly brushed it away. He simply did not wish the company of a female just yet. However, he saw no reason to justify himself to the hanyou.

Deciding that he had had enough of Inuyasha's company, Sesshoumaru stood up to leave.

"By the way, did you hear about the incident in the north?" Inuyasha asked as he finished the last of his ramen.

Sesshoumaru paused. "Incident?"

Inuyasha frowned thoughtfully. "It's just a rumor that I picked up in one of the clubs. Apparently, there had been sightings of demonic attacks in the north, near Sapporo."

Sapporo? Northern Japan was not their territory. "That is none of our concern," Sesshoumaru dismissed disinterestedly. He did not wish to have anything to do with the north.

"It will be once the thing starts so spread. I wonder if Akiyama is doing anything about it," Inuyasha mused. "It's not like him to sit back on something like this."

Sesshoumaru simply growled.

Akiyama had been nothing but an annoyance ever since he had taken over the Northern Isles more than five hundred years ago. Suddenly, it occurred to Sesshoumaru to wonder if the attack in Sapporo was somehow related to the recent complications Taishou Securities had been experiencing with the assignments.

"Do you have any details of the attack?" he asked the yawning hanyou.

Inuyasha shook his head mid-yawn. "No. Didn't you hear what I said? It was just a rumor. Call up Akiyama and ask."

Sesshoumaru's expression darkened.

Inuyasha smirked. "I guess not. By the way, have you seen Shin around? I've been trying to call his cellphone, but he's not answering."

"Shin is injured."

"What?!" Inuyasha exclaimed, looking stunned. "Where is he?"

"Tsukuyo Medical."

A flash of unease crossed Inuyasha's expression. "I see," he remarked in a strained voice.

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. "Something is bothering you, Inuyasha?" he asked with a smirk. He understood exactly why Inuyasha had such a reaction to the medical facility.

The hanyou stiffened. "What are you going on about? Of course not!" he protested indignantly.

"Perhaps you should pay Shin a visit," Sesshoumaru suggested evenly.

Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest. "Keh! With his thick skin, he would be fine in no time, I'm sure. There's no need for me to turn up at that place."

"You are foolish to allow your reservations to dictate your movements. A coward refusing to face his mistake."

Bristling, Inuyasha snapped, "What happened between me and Shiori is none of your business, so butt out!"

Sesshoumaru smirked inwardly. It was laughably easy to rile Inuyasha.

* * *

. 

Seated on the couch in the living room next to a pile of textbooks, Kagome tapped her lips absently as she read through the familiar paragraph for what seemed like the hundredth time. Vaguely, she could hear the homely sound of dinner being prepared in the kitchen and the bickering of the two boys behind her.

"Okaa-san!" Sachimaru whined piteously as he tried to escape Souta's fingers. "Souta is trying to pull my ears again."

Kagome flipped the pages of her trauma care textbook. "Leave him alone, Souta," she muttered automatically. Such events were the norm in their house, after all. Not to mention with Sachimaru's pointed ears, it was inevitable that Souta would end up teasing the younger boy about it.

"Hear that, Souta?" Sachimaru exclaimed smugly.

Souta laughed. "Can't take a bit of teasing, Sachimaru? You're such a kid!"

Sachimaru immediately bristled. "I may be a kid, but I'm stronger than you," he declared.

"Oh yeah?" Souta taunted childishly.

A battle cry pierced the air as Kagome attempted to focus on the treatment of trauma patients. "Head trauma. I've done that. Maybe it's better to concentrate on spinal trauma for the moment," she muttered to herself. This was the fourth time she was going through the book, but she was not leaving anything to chance. Her finals were approaching and her entire future depended on it.

"You demonic boys!" her grandfather yelled when a loud crash reverberated through the house.

Kagome jerked up and turned around. Her eyes widened as she took in the situation.

Sachimaru had somehow managed to subdue the older boy. Sitting on Souta's stomach, Sachimaru was pounding the other's boy chest. Scattered around them was the contents of a broken wooden shelf nearby. Her mother would kill them for this, Kagome thought with a grimace.

"Sachimaru, stop this right now!" she scolded as she stood up and walked around the couch.

"Submit!" Sachimaru barked, completely ignoring her.

Groaning in pain, Souta nodded. "Alright, alright! I give up."

Smirking smugly, Sachimaru peeled himself off Souta and gave the other boy a triumphant look.

Rubbing his chest gingerly, Souta turned to her and grumbled, "Onee-chan, your son is a menace. Maybe it's time to confiscate his bokken."

Kagome frowned at him. "You asked for it, Souta. Stop teasing him and you might even have a few ribs left intact when you reach twenty," she said flatly as she turned a stern gaze at Sachimaru. "And you. What did I tell you about fighting?"

Sachimaru had the grace to look sheepish.

Shaking her head as she let out a sigh of exasperation, she picked her son up and went to the couch, deciding that watching television might calm the overactive boy a little. Settling him down beside her, she turned on the television and picked up her book. Sachimaru sat beside her meekly, his eyes trained upon the screen. The sound of a program filtered through the air as she resumed her studies.

Unfortunately, the peace did not last long. Her attention was cut short when the silver-haired boy beside her tugged her arm and exclaimed, "Okaa-san! Look!"

Kagome glanced at the television. A series about supernatural events were being broadcasted. According to the commentator, this one took place at Sapporo.

Kagome watched as one very bulky man raised his arms to block what appeared to be a flash of fiery light from a tall, thin man. The instant it connected with him, the fiery red light morphed into an orb, allowing him to throw it back at his opponent with a loud snarl, his sharp fangs bared threateningly. His opponent sidestepped quickly as the orb rushed past him, slamming into a lamppost nearby. The lamppost instantly disintegrated into nothing.

The hair at the back of her neck rose. The fight disturbed her, but she did not understand why.

Then the screen went static before a commentator came back on. Eyes gleaming in excitement, the commentator gushed, "We received this video just a couple of hours ago from an anonymous source. No one knows if the event was staged…" Lowering her voice, she continued, "Or could this really be a proof of demonic activity in this modern day?"

"Wow! Real demons!" Sachimaru exclaimed.

"Demons are not real, Sachimaru," she said with a smile.

Sachimaru frowned. "Why not?"

"Of course demons are real!" her grandfather interjected loudly. Out of nowhere, he suddenly brandished a handful of ofudas and waved them threateningly at the television.

"Jii-chan…" Kagome gritted out in warning. The last thing she needed was for her grandfather to feed such things to Sachimaru. Who knew what Sachimaru might do if he decided that he wanted to banish demons? Not that he would find any.

The only time she encountered demons was during her dreams which had started about a month ago. She frowned as she realized that recently, it seemed to be increasing in frequency and detail. At first, she did not remember much of the dream, but nowadays, she did not seem to have any problems remembering the events.

Now that it was all clear in her mind, it seemed like a story of sorts. Maybe the dream came from a story she had read somewhere and somehow, she had cast herself into the role of the heroine. And she must have made up the main villain, Sesshoumaru, as some who looked like Sachimaru because no decent parent would have abandoned such a sweet boy.

Her textbook lay forgotten in her lap as she recalled her dream last night.

* * *

. 

Two weeks had passed and she was beginning to feel edgy. She needed to leave this Feudal Era and go home. But there was no way of escaping the heavily guarded place. And ever since Sesshoumaru had almost strangled her to death, she had not bothered to bring up the topic or to speak to him. He had made it abundantly clear that he had no intention of listening. And from what she could tell so far, Sesshoumaru was one of these individuals who did whatever they liked. Fortunately, he had kept his claws to himself for the last couple of weeks. It must be because she had given him no reason to lash out at her, and he did not seemed bothered by her silence every evening during the reporting session.

At least she had Katsuo to keep her company. But she knew that Katsuo was longing to return to training his warriors. He had said just as much.

Kagome sighed. But her plan was simply not working. She had suggested it to Katsuo on the third day of her training. Simply put, if she did not exhibit any worthwhile skills, Sesshoumaru would stop paying attention to her and perhaps then she could leave. Initially Katsuo had balked at the idea, telling her that Sesshoumaru would be furious if he found out what she was up to. But as the days passed, she had persisted and Katsuo had begun to come around. Now, he was just as keen as she was to get the whole thing over with so that he could return to his regular duties.

But Sesshoumaru was not cooperating. The lack of evidence of her skills did not seem to bother him at all. Instead, she could have sworn that his interest seemed to be increasing.

What was going on?

Sesshoumaru should have been mad that she was such a waste of space. But every evening for the past two weeks, he had merely nodded at Katsuo's fake reports and then instructed them to continue training.

Kagome scowled. Never mind that in reality, Katsuo had actually managed to coax something out of her. She had been shocked out of her mind when just one week ago, her palms had glowed with some strange purple light. Katsuo had worn this odd look on his face when she screamed at him to get the light away from her. Then every day after that fateful day, the glow seemed to grow stronger. Not fully in control of the odd glow, she had even managed to accidentally injure Katsuo.

It was then when Katsuo had finally explained the basics to her. He had explained that the mikos of that time held some sort of prejudice against demons. Their main function was to destroy demons, and in Katsuo's words, indiscriminately. Their miko powers could easily purify most demons instantly. The stronger ones such as Sesshoumaru tended to be immune to purification.

Sighing heavily, Kagome slumped. Sesshoumaru was right after all. She _was_ a miko.

But that did not mean that she had to stay in this era to serve him. She did not belong here, for Kami's sakes. She had a home in Tokyo and a family who was probably worried sick by now.

"Kagome?"

Startled, she jerked her head up to find herself staring into Katsuo's blue eyes.

He gave her an exasperated look. "Your plan isn't working."

"Tell me about it," she muttered dejectedly as she lifted her palms up. With a little mental push, her hand began to glow. Then she concentrated more and the glow turned into a beam of purple light shooting straight up. Before it could reach the high ceiling, she quickly pulled it back before she broke anything. "It would have helped if I really didn't have these miko powers," she continued dejectedly.

"Lord Sesshoumaru will not be happy if he knew that we're keeping this from him," Katsuo remarked glumly. "Not to mention he'll have my head mounted on a post outside the palace walls."

Shocked, Kagome gaped at him. "You're kidding, right?"

"No."

"The guy's got a stick up his ass, but he couldn't be that evil, right?" she exclaimed, appalled at the entire idea. Then she recalled the time he had almost choked her to death. Maybe Katsuo was right, she thought darkly. Come to think of it, maybe she should put a stop to this plan and think of a safer one. She did not want Katsuo to get punished because of her.

The corner of Katsuo's lips lifted. "Well, I guess I might have exaggerated a little. Sesshoumaru had been good to me. But he won't take this lightly."

Kagome suppressed a shiver at his words. Reflexively, her hand came up to rub her neck. "Maybe we should forget the idea. I don't want you to get into trouble," she said softly. Even if it meant that she had to think of another plan.

He gave her a small smile. "Don't worry about it, Kagome." Then he stood up, holding his hands out to her. "Come on, let's see what else you can do. You still got a lot of untapped power."

With a resigned groan, she grabbed his hand and pulled herself to her feet.

* * *

. 

Sesshoumaru could barely contain his smirk as he moved stealthily away from the dojo as he had done for the past one week.

It was as he had suspected.

For the first few days, he had been puzzled by the lack of progress in the miko's training. His senses never lied. And they told him that the miko was powerful. After those few days, he had decided to see for himself. His instincts had told him to cloak his presence. Never the one to ignore his instincts, he had done exactly that as he approached the dojo. Neither Katsuo nor the miko had noticed his presence as they trained.

Sesshoumaru had been surprised to say the least when he discovered that the miko had offensive powers. For it had been clear that the purple light emanating from her hands was capable of hurting any youkai, and perhaps even human. He had originally thought to use her powers as a healer, after she had released Inuyasha, but faced with this new development, he decided that perhaps the miko would be useful in other ways.

At first, he had been incensed that Katsuo dared to conceal something like this from him. And then, when Sesshoumaru had observed the interaction between the hanyou and the miko, he understood the reasons.

Although Katsuo was formidable in the battle field, the hanyou also possessed softer feelings towards females. There was no explanation for it except that the trait must have been passed down from his human mother. It seemed that he had simply been unable deny the miko. For that, his punishment would be no less severe.

However, it certainly would not involve the hanyou's head mounted on a post outside the palace walls, Sesshoumaru thought with some amusement. Katsuo was irreplaceable. In addition to his strength and loyalty, he had never failed in any of the tasks given to him. He had even managed to coax the miko's power to the surface, despite her foolish reluctance.

What astonished him was the fact that the miko had been concerned about Katsuo's welfare enough to forgo her own plan. It was selfless act, one which he did not expect of her kind. To his dismay, Sesshoumaru felt a twinge of something which felt like approval at her action.

However, it was clear that the miko was strong-willed and worse, intelligent. With her female wiles added to the mix, Katsuo did not stand a chance. After all, the hanyou was still fairly young and inexperience when it came to such things. Sesshoumaru made a note to have a discussion with his general. It would not do to have a general who could be so easily swayed by feminine wiles.

As for the miko, perhaps it was time to open her eyes to the dangers of deceiving a taiyoukai. It was obvious that his treatment of her two weeks ago was insufficient. Since then, the miko had not spoken a single word to him. Although her silence felt strangely out of place, Sesshoumaru decided that it was preferable to her constant rudeness.

However, it was time for her to explain her actions to him.

* * *

. 

Kagome sighed in bliss as she stretched languidly on the futon. Finally, after a full day of training followed by Sesshoumaru's stony looks during the reporting session, she could now rest. Yawning, she snuggled deeper under the covers. Just as she was about to fall asleep, a tap sounded on the screen. Her eyes shot open and she groaned in frustration. Who could it be at this time of the night?

"Yes?" she called out, barely managing to hold in her annoyance.

The screen slid open to reveal a worried-looking Natsumi. "Kagome?"

Wide awake now, Kagome sat up. "What's wrong, Natsumi?" she asked, concerned for the other girl.

Her hands clasped tightly in front of her, Natsumi said hesitantly, "Lord Sesshoumaru summons you to his chambers."

Silence filled the room as Kagome digested the other girl's words. His room? Now? When she was already so tired from all the training?

Her temper got the better of her. Gritting her teeth, she bit out, "At this time? In his chambers? Who does he think he is?" Considering that she was not even on speaking terms with him, how dare he _summon_ her?

Natsumi fidgeted beside the screen. It was clear that she was growing increasingly anxious about something. "He's the Lord of the Western Lands, Kagome. He has the right to do what he wishes," she said softly.

Kagome dropped back down to the futon and pulled the covers over her body decisively. Setting a mutinous look on her face, she declared, "Well, you can tell him that I'm already asleep and you couldn't wake me up."

To Kagome's surprise, Natsumi fell to her knees. "Please go to him," she pleaded, her voice cracking. "If you don't…then…"

Frowning, Kagome sat up again. "What?"

"I will be punished if you don't go to him," Natsumi mumbled, her head lowered.

Closing her eyes, Kagome groaned. The tricky bastard. Knowing that she had no choice, for she did not want to see Natsumi punished, Kagome pushed aside the covers and got to her feet. But claws or not, this time she would not stand there and let him have his way. After all, Katsuo had taught her some self-defense moves in the last few days.

"Come on. Show me where his chamber is."

Natsumi instantly brightened. "Follow me."

Glowering, Kagome muttered under her breath, "And I'll personally tell him exactly what I think of his _summons._"

* * *

. 

A/N: Things are not exactly going well between Sesshoumaru and Kagome at the moment…(sighs). I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Leave me a review to let me know what you think.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you all for reading and reviewing the previous chapter. A bit busy this few days, so didn't have the chance to respond to your reviews individually - sorry! By the way, though Sesshoumaru-Kagome will always be my favourite, I've been trying to find good Bankotsu-Kagome fics, preferably completed. Does anyone have any suggestions ? (grins) Anyway, please enjoy this chapter. Oh, as a trial, I've put in some 'markers' in between the changes in scenes this time, so let me know if it makes things clearer or it's just plain distracting, lol.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 4**

Sesshoumaru glanced around his sleeping chamber, wondering not for the first time if it was wise of him to demand the miko's presence in such a private setting. No doubt his servants would talk, but he was not overly concerned about the petty gossips around him.

The reason he had chosen this location was simple. The dojo was too close to the servant's quarters and if anything should go wrong, his servants and guards might be harmed, perhaps even killed. The main palace was far enough from those quarters, separated by a perimeter all, and he instructed all the servants and guards to return to their quarters. If their confrontation went as he planned, her miko powers would not kill him, only weaken him slightly.

The next place which had occurred to him was the reception room. But the space was decorated with many priceless objects. He had also considered his study, but the space was not large enough for what he had in mind for the miko.

Why was he even attempting to justify his choice of location? Before he had the opportunity to ponder upon the oddness of his mental queries, his senses tingled. The miko was approaching and from the feel of her aura, she was not entirely pleased at his summons.

His eyes gleamed at the thought of the challenge ahead.

It did not take long for her to reach his chamber. He was unsurprised when she simply charged in, shooting a murderous glare at him. Although her action was expected, his lips tightened in irritation. She seemed to have this effect on him. Her presence unsettled him and made him edgy. And it always got worse when she opened her mouth. Not that she had done so recently. She had not spoken to him for almost two weeks, but he would ensure that she gave him the information he required by other means.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Sesshoumaru?" she snapped, her hands planted on her hips.

Suppressing the urge to kill her, for it would defeat his purpose in retaining her presence, Sesshoumaru remarked stonily. "Your manners are still as appalling as ever."

Her glare intensified. "You want to talk about manners? What do you call waking me up in the middle of the night to come into your room?"

His brow lifted slightly. "As the lord the Western Lands, this Sesshoumaru has-"

"Yeah, yeah," she interrupted rudely. "You have the right and all, is that it? Well, I'm here. So what do you want?"

Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth. He would not kill her, he repeated to himself.

Yet.

"You're here because this Sesshoumaru wishes to test you."

She blinked at him. "Test me?" she repeated disbelievingly.

He gave her a curt nod. "Prepare yourself." She would not be given further warning.

"WHAT? Hey-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Sesshoumaru flicked his wrist and sent his whip flying to her body, just stopping short of hitting her. She jumped to the side, eyeing him disbelievingly, then at the torn sleeve of her yukata.

"You can't be serious!" she yelled as she dashed towards the shoji screen. "Get away from me, Sesshoumaru!"

"You will cease your useless attempt to escape," he gritted out.

Another snap of his wrist prevented her from reaching the door. The scent of her annoyance hit him like a tidal wave. Just annoyance, but no fear, Sesshoumaru noted with growing irritation. Did the miko not fear him at all? Even after he had sank his claws into her neck, she still persisted in her foolish lack of fear.

Why?

Then he saw the gleam of determination in her eyes as she ran across the room, her arms wrapped around herself protectively. His disquiet evaporated to be replaced with anticipation. Holding back his smirk of satisfaction, he lashed out at her again in an attempt to force her into the fight. His whips tore through her fabric covering her legs, sending a piece fluttering to the floor. He had every intention of continuing until she revealed her powers. Surely her sense of self-preservation would surface at some point.

A scream of outrage pierced his ears, and then he felt her aura expanding outwards in her fury. She was standing still, her fists clenched by her side. He could tell that she was about to break. Tensing in preparation, he flicked his whip closer to her, ripping the rest of her sleeves before he moved on to her waist.

She held her arms out.

He felt the air crackling heavily.

Then a bright flare lighted the room.

It struck him like lightning. The force of her raw power almost brought him to his feet, but he planted himself firmly on the floor, wrapping his Mokomoko-sama around him protectively. It swept past him, ripping into the sparse furnishings and completely decimating anything close to her. Including the top half of his kimono. The novelty of being washed over by such a pure force made his skin tingle, and his youki rose in response. His body felt over-sensitized as he allowed himself close his eyes, indulging in the mingling forces.

The force dissipated, leaving the room deathly silent.

Until the miko shot a pair of murderous glare at him.

"You…You…HENTAI!" she screamed. "How could you do this to me?"

Ears ringing, Sesshoumaru simply stared at her as she clutched the tattered front of her yukata together. It seemed that his whips had managed to loosen her clothes to the point of indecency. Most of the fabric had fallen off, leaving her shoulders and legs bared to his gaze. Her neck sloped in a graceful arc to meet her shoulders, tempting in its smoothness. The flesh was only marred by five puncture scars from his poisonous claws. Covered only by her hands and a shredded piece of cloth, the top of her breasts were exposed to him. Much lower, the length of her legs seemed to extend forever.

The image of her naked body, slick from the hotsprings, jumped into his mind. He had lost count of just how many times he recalled the scene. But this time, his mind supplied the image of his hands wandering all over her wet skin.

His body instantly reacted, his traitorous lower regions twitching in the emergence of an arousal.

Surreptitiously, he shifted his Mokomoko-sama to shield himself better. His state of undress was not what he had envisaged when he had decided to confront the miko. Shaking himself inwardly, he forced himself to focus on the matter at hand. A quick glance around told him that only the walls, floor and ceiling had survived the attack. Everything else was shattered.

"It was as anticipated," he began slowly. "Your powers are substantial." Although unfocussed and uncontrolled, he added silently. It was somewhat disconcerting that such a small human could possess so much power, especially considering that she did not have the skills to properly wield it even after all that training.

Her eyes widened in horror as she gulped. It was obvious that she had just realized that she had exposed herself. Figuratively. And literally.

"Uh…I'm…um…" she stammered, her face turning pale.

"What do you hope to achieve by hiding your skills?" he asked quietly. Perhaps her refusal to acknowledge her heritage was the reason behind her inability to completely master her powers.

Her uncertainty dissolved and her eyes began to flash. "I don't want it in the first place!" she snapped.

"Your personal strength is something you should take pride in."

She glared at him. "That's it. My _personal_ strength. That means it has nothing to do with you."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Without the training this Sesshoumaru ordered, you would be still unaware of your powers."

She gestured wildly in the air, sending another shred of fabric flying away from her. "That's because you just want me to do…stuff for you."

"It is my right to do whatever I, Sesshoumaru, wish with my gift," he intoned flatly.

Her eyes bulged. "How many times must I tell you? Don't talk about me like I'm some sort of property!" she yelled. "I don't belong to you!"

Suppressing a wince at the volume of her voice, he ground out, "You will moderate your voice, Miko."

"After what you've done to me, you expect me not to shout?" she retorted heatedly.

Sesshoumaru was about to reply, but the sound of rapid footsteps reached his ears. Not long after that, Katsuo rushed in with a few other warriors behind him. Their expression was one of disbelief as they stared at the destruction and the two half-dressed occupants. Katsuo's eyes flickered as he looked at the miko and at him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Katsuo greeted uncertainly. Then he turned to the other warriors and ordered firmly, "Return to your chambers."

The warriors gave him a questioning look before they turned and left. However, Katsuo remained staring at them with an obvious look of concern on his face.

"Is everything alright?" the general asked.

Was his general actually questioning his actions? Perhaps the prolonged exposure to the miko had influenced him. Giving Katsuo a hard look, Sesshoumaru bit out, "Your concern is unnecessary, Katsuo. This Sesshoumaru is fine, so is the miko."

"Who said I'm fine?" the miko snapped irritably. Pointing a shaky finger at him, she continued, "Especially after what you've done!"

Averting his gaze, Katsuo suggested uncomfortably, "Perhaps you should return to your room and put something on, Kagome."

Sesshoumaru watched the miko flush in embarrassment as she glanced down at her shredded attire. Without another word, she stormed out of the damaged shoji screen. Turning back to Katsuo, Sesshoumaru lifted his brow questioningly.

Their gaze locked.

It was time for Katsuo to admit to his treachery. "Would you care to explain your silence with regards to the miko's powers?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly.

Unsurprisingly, Katsuo immediately stiffened in alarm. Then he fell to his knees, his head bowed. His tone was contrite when he declared, "My lord. I have deceived you."

"So you did, Katsuo," Sesshoumaru intoned, careful to keep his expression blank. He wanted to see how Katsuo would handle this.

"I do not expect your forgiveness. For my crime, I will welcome any punishment you deem necessary."

His approval hidden behind his stoic mask, Sesshoumaru simply stared down at the white-grey head of the hanyou in front of him. He had known from his past week of spying that Katsuo held nothing against him. Katsuo's only weakness was that insufferable miko. He would be punished, but not too severely.

"Your actions displeased this Sesshoumaru."

Katsuo stiffened.

"However, this Sesshoumaru has no wish to replace his general," Sesshoumaru added.

Katsuo blinked up at him, stunned. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" he ventured uncertainly, his blue eyes hopeful.

"Your punishment is simple." Sesshoumaru paused, and then continued, "Not only will you train the miko until she could utilize her powers on command, you will now find the time to train the warriors as well. They had been neglected for far too long."

Katsuo's eyes widened. Sesshoumaru knew that to comply with his orders, the hanyou would not be sleeping much for some time to come. However, such was his punishment.

Then Katsuo's expression hardened in determination. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru. I will not fail you again."

Sesshoumaru nodded. If Katsuo had any sense, then he would encourage the miko to train harder so that her training would end sooner.

"You will cease to give in to the miko's requests. Is that clear?"

Katsuo reddened. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"It is not acceptable for a Western warrior to be so weak as to give in to the whims of a female."

Nodding quickly, Katsuo said, "It will not happen again, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Hn."

With a bow, his general retreated. Once alone, Sesshoumaru surveyed the damage around him, grimacing as he did so. It needed to be repaired, which meant that he would be spending the night in one of the guest chambers.

Just as he was walking out, his eyes landed on a piece of fabric on the floor. Without thinking, he picked it up. It was one torn from the miko's yukata, he thought, rubbing his finger on it. Instantly, the memory of her naked skin flashed across his mind followed by the force of her pure power surrounding him, caressing him. To his dismay, he felt himself reacting to the image, sending a shock of molten heat running down his body.

Snarling in disgust, he spun around and stalked out of the chambers.

…………

_End Dream_

* * *

Sesshoumaru shot up in his king-sized bed. 

The image of the almost-naked dream miko flashed immediately across his eyes. Instantly, he felt his loins stir in recollection of the flush on her cheeks and her near-naked form. Oddly enough, it had been some time since he had felt this way. The body and the raw power of a human miko had reduced him to this state.

Sesshoumaru glowered at himself. It was somewhat disturbing to find that he had such a strong reaction to an imaginary character in his dream. Such a thing would be highly embarrassing if it came out in the open.

Perhaps his body was attempting to tell him something. That the century of voluntary abstinence was not acceptable. Shaking his head to dispel the images of the miko from his mind, Sesshoumaru forced himself to think of more calming thoughts. Such dreams…disturbed him.

He needed to focus on something else. Perhaps he should contact Akiyama to determine the accuracy of what Inuyasha had told him. Not to mention there was the little issue about the broadcast a couple of nights ago.

Fortunately, the damage had been controlled. Inuyasha had gathered a series of old video clips from the media archive, which displayed a number of 'acts' similar to the incident in Sapporo. The broadcast of those clips last night had suggested to the public that the incident in Sapporo was merely something created by special effects used by the carnival and circus industry.

Still, the incident raised concern.

Sesshoumaru grimaced. The fact that certain demons were exposing their powers could pose a problem for the rest of them. If the public found out that the little display was real, there would no doubt be chaos, followed by demons being hunted down. Survival being foremost in the mind of most living beings, the demons would surely retaliate. It would be what he and the rest of the demon lords had been attempting to prevent all these years.

The outcome of a war between humans and demons would be unpredictable. The humans had the advantage of greater numbers. Although lesser in number, demons certainly possessed greater power. It was a situation which would end with many deaths and no real victor.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the window, noting that the sun was just rising in the horizon. Immediately, an idea occurred to him, making him smirk. The elemental demon was never a morning person. Picking up the phone, he proceeded to dial a number.

When it was picked up, Sesshoumaru greeted, "Akiyama."

A terse voice replied, "Sesshoumaru. What is the meaning of this?"

"Your hold over Sapporo is slipping."

Silence descended on the line. When Akiyama finally replied, his voice was even. "Your concern is noted. However, your actions were unnecessary. The issue was being handled."

"The damage control was necessary."

"Not by you," the elemental warned harshly.

Sidestepping Akiyama's words, Sesshoumaru asked calmly, "Is this the first of such incident in recent years?"

"No."

Sesshoumaru frowned. The issue was more severe than he had thought if such attacks had happened before. However, in all the meetings which had taken place between the demon lords, such an issue had never been raised.

"Perhaps you have something to hide, Akiyama?" he asked pointedly.

"Do not assume to interfere in the matters of the Northern Lands, Sesshoumaru." Akiyama's voice was tight. "I'm sure you have your hands full with the East and West."

"The East belongs to Kouga," Sesshoumaru clarified.

"I understand that for the moment, you are overseeing the territory."

"It is temporary," Sesshoumaru growled. He needed to speak to the wolf soon about his territory. It was about time Kouga took back his responsibilities.

"Nevertheless, I am sure that you do not need to concern yourself with the matter in Sapporo."

"Very well. I will leave the matter to you." Then Sesshoumaru's voice hardened. "However, the moment it appears that situation is growing out of control-"

"It will not happen," Akiyama interjected curtly.

"Hn."

With that, Sesshoumaru ended the call and stared out through the window at the rising sun. A sense of unease washed over him. It concerned him somewhat that the usually calm elemental had sounded so strained over the situation. The situation must be worse than it appeared on the surface. However, Sesshoumaru decided that he would not interfere until the circumstances called for it.

Moving away from the window, he proceeded to prepare himself for work. Not long afterwards, he was driving down the streets of Tokyo. At this time in the morning, the traffic was at least tolerable.

He arrived at the tall building which housed Taishou Securities a little earlier than usual, therefore he was unsurprised to find the building almost deserted. What surprised him was female waiting for him in front of his office, listening to Natsumi's complaints about something.

"It's all really strange," Natsumi said to the bat hanyou. "But it seems so real."

"Sometimes those things can seem very real, Natsumi. There's nothing to worry about," Shiori soothed. Then she turned to him with a slight nod.

"Shiori. You require something?" he asked.

"Good morning to you too, Sesshoumaru," Shiori replied dryly. Then she added pointedly, "Shin's doing well, but he needs to stay for another day or so for observations."

"Hn." Surely the hanyou did not come all the way here to inform him of such a trivial matter. He had every confidence that Tsukuyo Medical Centre was able to treat Shin.

Shiori gave him an exasperated look. "Nevermind. Look, there's something I need to tell you."

Nodding, he pushed open the door to his office and stepped in. Without looking back, he knew that Shiori had followed him. Then the door clicked shut, ensuring them of their privacy. Wordlessly, he raised a questioning brow at the female.

Shiori took a breath before she began, "The poison Shin was exposed to… I believe it's targeted towards demons as well as humans."

Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed. "Are you certain?" he asked evenly. This could prove to be troublesome.

Shiori nodded. "It seems like it. We had to analyze it to make an antidote for Shin and the humans. And when Ryoukan was doing the analysis, he found traces of demonic influence."

"Hn."

"I wonder who made it. As far as I know, there could be only two possibilities. Akiyama or Naraku."

"Hn."

"So, which one do you think it is?" Shiori asked.

"We will find out."

"Close-mouthed as always, I see."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the bat hanyou who had been in his employ for close to four hundred years. It seemed that the centuries had rendered her immune to his wrath.

Many centuries ago, Inuyasha had rescued Shiori during one of his quest to strengthen Tetsusaiga. Back then, Shiori had been just a young hanyou guarding the Blood Crystal which was responsible for the bat tribe's barrier. Once Inuyasha had destroyed her grandfather, Shiori had lived with her mother until the human had passed away. It was only a century later when the bat hanyou had joined his venture.

Over the years, Shiori had developed a liking for anything involving medicine and research. Therefore, whichever country their rotation shifted to, she would head the medical or research branch of Taishou Holdings. Taishou Holding's connection with this sector allowed them to register fake births to ensure that the demons held a 'real' identity in the human world.

Shiori had also been the one to advance the concealing spell such that it could display an aging effect. Not only it allowed the demons to conceal their markings and other physical traits, it also allowed them to appear older at will. The demons utilized this advantage to appear older during the later years of their rotation to avoid suspicion.

Shiori was also the one who had managed to embarrass Inuyasha to such a point that the hanyou had been avoiding her for centuries.

Sesshoumaru smirked.

When Shiori had joined him four hundred years ago, Inuyasha had taken interest in her. By then, his brother had gone through a significant number of females. Unfortunately, Inuyasha had not recognized Shiori as the little bat hanyou he rescued a century ago, since her scent had matured. Shiori, however, had recognized him and knew of his reputation.

It had been amusing to observe as Inuyasha attempted to seduce the supposedly oblivious Shiori. His attempts had failed over and over again as the bat hanyou ignored him continuously. Sesshoumaru did not know what had happened between them after that. But something certainly had. For the next thing he knew, Inuyasha went through ridiculous lengths to avoid the bat hanyou.

"Sesshoumaru?"

Jolted out of his thought, Sesshoumaru returned his attention to the frowning bat hanyou. "You will attempt to find out all you could about the poison. Do it discreetly."

Shiori nodded. "I'll keep you updated. I better head back now."

"Hn."

The moment she exited the room, Sesshoumaru brought his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. It seemed that there was more to the incident than he had first thought. Whatever it was, it meant that he had to make sure everyone increased their vigilance.

* * *

Lifting her head, Kagome let the spray of water from the shower splash against her face, cooling her heated skin. She needed to calm down or she would end up worrying Sachimaru. For some reason, the little boy was amazingly perceptive when it came to her emotions. 

Calm down, Kagome, it was just a dream, she scolded herself.

Finishing off with her shower, Kagome dressed for work and went to Sachimaru's room. The boy was still sleeping, she noted with a small smile. Bestowing a kiss on the crescent moon scar, Kagome exited the room silently and went downstairs.

Greeting her mother a good morning, Kagome settled down at the table and begun to eat her breakfast. Without Sachimaru around to observe, she allowed her disquiet to surface again. The emotion she had felt in her dream instantly returned, making her tremble in barely suppressed fury. Each time she had those dreams, the images seemed to slot right in her memory like it belonged there, making her feel everything her dream self felt.

"Kagome? Is everything alright?" her mother asked as she took Souta's empty cup and bowl from the table. Her brother must have gone to school earlier for one of his extra-curricular activities.

Forcing a smile to her lips, Kagome nodded. "It's nothing. Just a bad dream."

Water rushed out of the tap into the sink. As her mother began to wash the dishes, she asked, "Oh? What about?"

Kagome frowned, wondering how she should explain it. She had not told anyone about it. "It's a strange dream that I've been having for a little more than a month now."

Her mother paused at the sink, but she did not turn around. "The same dream?"

"No. It is kind of like I'm in this strange place in the past."

"Hmm…that is strange."

"I know. And the thing is, it always begins with me falling into that old dried up well at the back of the shrine. And the other end of the well leads to the Feudal Era. The scary bit is the centipede monster who keeps chasing after me, yelling something about a Shikon-no-Tama. I remember it so clearly, like it had actually happened."

A crazy thought suddenly occurred to Kagome.

What if she tried to jump into the well? Maybe when she lands at the bottom and break a few bones her subconscious would realize that the whole thing was ridiculous. Then maybe the dreams would let up. Yeah, it was not a bad idea.

Chuckling, she told her mother, "I was thinking that maybe if I jumped into the well, and end up on the dusty ground at the base, the dreams will stop."

Her mother spun around, looking worried. "No. Don't do that, Kagome."

"But maybe it'll really help."

Stepping away from the sink, her mother took a seat at the table beside her and took her hands. "Kagome. Promise me that you won't try to jump into the well," her mother said seriously.

A little puzzled by her mother's concern, Kagome frowned. "Mom? Why are you so worried about it?"

Her mother's eyes flickered. "I don't want you to harm yourself. I just got you back three years ago."

Kagome lowered her head, feeling bad for worrying her mother. "I was always here, though. I was just in a coma."

"That's right," her mother said quietly.

Squeezing her mother's hand reassuringly, Kagome said, "Alright. I promise not to jump into the well."

Her mother still looked worried. Kagome smiled at her earnestly, willing her to believe her promise. When the cloudiness in her mother's eyes had receded a little, she sighed in relief and turned back to her breakfast. Deciding that she was not hungry after all, Kagome stood up and cleared the table.

"I'd better go before I'm late," she muttered.

Her mother stood up slowly. "How long more will you be working there?"

Kagome shrugged. "Not long more, I hope. My results should be out soon and if I pass, I can apply for a proper job. In the meantime, it doesn't hurt to get a bit more money."

Eyes softening, her mother remarked, "I just wish you don't have to go through this."

Hugging her mother, she said, "Don't worry, Mom. Everything will turn out fine."

With that, she gathered her belongings and rushed out of the house. Almost immediately, she façade she had put on dissolved as the dreams returned to her mind.

* * *

_Dream Flashback_

She could not believe his nerve, she thought as she threw the tattered strips of her yukata against the wall. Fuming, she quickly pulled on a fresh set of yukata and then promptly sat down on the futon.

He had tricked her into exposing her powers.

Not only that, he had done it in such way that left her humiliated. What was wrong with him? Why did he feel the urge to rip her clothes with that golden strands of…whips from his fingers. And the whip had hurt her arms as well. Until now, she could feel the burning sting. Fortunately, the wounds were not bleeding. It would probably end up scarring like the ones she got from his claws.

As furious as she was, she felt strangely lethargic. It must be because of the overuse of her powers. She had been so angry that she had reacted without thinking of the consequences. There had been only one thought in her mind then; to stop Sesshoumaru. Then her power had surged greedily and exploded all on its own.

Groaning, she buried her face in her hands. Not only had he seen her half naked, but now he also knew the extent of her powers. How was she going to ever persuade him to let her go home? Feeling miserable, she felt her eyes burning hotly as hopelessness sank in. She would never see her mother again. Or Souta, Jii-chan and Buyo. Not to mention all her friends at school.

"Kagome? Are you well?"

She jumped, turning startled eyes towards the girl peering into the room. Natsumi looked worried. Attempting a smile and failing, Kagome simply mumbled, "I'm fine."

She watched as Natsumi's eyes landed on the pile of shredded cloth, the remains of her unfortunate yukata. The girl's hand flew up to her lips and gasped.

"He didn't…" Natsumi faltered.

Kagome nodded. "Yeah. He did."

Natsumi rushed towards her, looking worried. "Oh, Kami… Are you alright?"

Sighing as she thought of the angry welts on her arms, Kagome muttered, "I guess. It hurts a little."

"I couldn't make out the words, but everyone heard the yelling."

Kagome cringed. She had screamed _that_ loud?

Natsumi's eyes glistened. "I was hoping that he wouldn't hurt you. Inuyoukais could be really violent, but I didn't think that Sesshoumaru was the type to take pleasure in violence. He never forced anyone before."

Kagome snorted. "He was smirking. He was definitely _pleasured._" Her tone was dry. She could not help but wonder why Natsumi seemed to be so distressed. Yes, her yukata was ripped and she had painful welts on her arms, but the girl's reaction seemed a little excessive.

Falling to her knees, Natsumi said, "I'm so sorry. You should have stayed here instead of listening to me. My punishment would have been much less awful than this."

Kagome's eyes softened. "Hey…It's okay. I'm fine, really."

The other girl gave her a doubtful look. "Really?"

Nodding emphatically, Kagome said, "Yes. Now go back to your room. I'd like to catch some sleep before training tomorrow."

Natsumi stood up hesitantly. Then, at Kagome's uncompromising look, she nodded and left.

Releasing a tired sigh, Kagome leaned back against her futon and promptly fell asleep.

* * *

. 

It had started as the usual soft murmurs in the hallway.

Each time he passed, the murmurs instantly stopped. That in itself was enough to inform Sesshoumaru that his servants were gossiping about him. His lips thinned. No doubt they were discussing about the events last night. After all, even with that distance, they must have felt the blast of miko energy a little.

But to Sesshoumaru's consternation, the whisperings and the abrupt silences had continued for three days, a record for his servants. Usually, they would have found something else by now to whisper upon.

A niggling suspicion that something was not quite as it seemed prodded at him.

Irritated that he was reduced to this, Sesshoumaru summoned Shin. When the guard stepped into his room, he went straight to the heart of the matter.

"What are the servants talking about?"

Shin's eyes widened slightly before he quickly masked his expression. "I'm not certain I understand, my lord," he said evasively.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "This Sesshoumaru asks again, Shin. What are they talking about?" he asked, injecting a hint of threat in his words.

The guard gulped as his eyes shifted nervously. "It's about you, my lord. Forgive me."

Brushing away his apology with a wave of his hand, Sesshoumaru pressed, "What about?"

"About you and the miko."

Sesshoumaru frowned. "Tell me everything you know."

"I only heard it from the cook."

"Nevertheless, tell me. Now," he instructed impatiently.

Shin took a deep breath. "They said you've never taken a woman against her will and that they were surprised that you did so with the miko."

Sesshoumaru felt his blood freeze.

_THAT_ was what they were talking about? They thought he had forced himself on the miko? With the amount of screaming, he supposed that it was not impossible for them to arrive at that conclusion. But how did they manage to get this one so wrong?

"Is that all?" Sesshoumaru ground out.

Shin looked at him with an uneasy expression on his face. "They feel that you should do the honorable thing," he said shakily.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Are they suggesting that this Sesshoumaru take the miko as a mate?" he asked quietly.

Shin nodded once.

Where was their loyalty? Even if he _had_ forced himself on the miko, it was his right to do so as she was, after all, his gift. However, his servants appeared to be siding with the miko. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Sesshoumaru snapped, "That will be all. Return to your post."

When the guard closed the screen behind him, Sesshoumaru's composure crumpled and he let out a frustrated snarl.

How did it even come to this?

…………

_End Dream_

* * *

. 

Ridiculous.

His last dream was utterly ridiculous, Sesshoumaru thought darkly as he walked to the lobby of the hotel. Pressing a button on a flat metal panel mounted on the wall, he ran his mind over the dream as he waited for the elevator to arrive.

His mind had been filled with the remnants of his dreams when he woke up just hours ago. And since then, he had not been able to brush the flashes away. The very thought of what happened in his last dream irked him. He would never have allowed such rumors to spread in his castle. And he would have beheaded his servants for even daring to suggest that he took a human miko as a mate.

It was ridiculous how the dreams seemed to have overtaken his waking hours as well. They had lodged themselves in his mind like they belonged there. He should be focusing on this issue with the poison rather than allowing his mind to mull over his dreams.

Particularly now that they had found a lead.

The intruders had claimed that they did not know where the poison came from. And the human who had paid them to carry out the job happened to have been conveniently murdered last night. However, upon further investigation, Katsuo had found the poison's original container in one of their dwellings. Sesshoumaru's lips tightened as he recalled the moment Katsuo had placed the blue object sealed in a clear bag on his desk. The imprint on the container was familiar.

Which led to his visit to this hotel.

The door to the hotel suite opened just as Sesshoumaru reached it. He was unsurprised to find Akiyama already there, wearing a bland expression on his face. Holding the door open, Akiyama inclined his head at him.

"Shall we begin?" Sesshoumaru asked as he stepped into the luxurious suite.

Gesturing to the desk, Akiyama said, "Have a seat." Once seated, the water elemental asked, "What is so important that my presence is required here?"

Sesshoumaru eyed the elemental across the desk, and decided that he would go straight to the point. "I was not aware that your company manufactures poison."

"What exactly are you implying, Sesshoumaru?" Akiyama asked silkily.

Raising a brow, Sesshoumaru simply slid a clear bag across the table. "Perhaps this will make it clear.'

Akiyama continued to stare at him for a moment before lowering his gaze to the object in the bag. Then his eyes flickered. "Where did you get this?"

"I'm afraid that's confidential. Suffice to say that the location of such object suggests that Envirotech is involved in the gas poison released to compromise a certain research laboratory."

"Ridiculous," Akiyama bit out harshly.

Keeping his expression carefully blank, Sesshoumaru queried, "Is it?"

"Perhaps you should look closer to home," Akiyama retorted smoothly. "Such as the east."

Sesshoumaru had his suspicions, however, he was unable to find any evidence to support them. "Are you suggesting that Naraku may be involved?"

"He owns a pharmaceutical company."

"His facilities are far less advanced than yours."

Akiyama regarded him stonily. "I gain nothing by such a foolish move."

"You are suggesting that you're being framed?"

The elemental raised his brow. "This whole situation has nothing to do with Envirotech. Perhaps your security team should investigate further. Surely they are capable of such a minor task."

Not missing Akiyama's subtle insult, Sesshoumaru's fought to keep his expression impassive.

Then to Sesshoumaru's surprise, Akiyama's expression darkened with concern. "Look, Sesshoumaru. Let's forget our rivalry for a moment and work together, much as we dislike the idea. There's something happening out there and it's nothing good. I can only guess that someone is not too happy with the way things are right now."

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. Although he had suspected just as much, he was surprised to hear Akiyama's words.

The elemental continued, "There have been random demonic attacks not only in Sapporo, but also in Hokkaido. I have managed to cover them all up so far, except for the one in Sapporo. And I'm sure you're experiencing some disturbance on this side as well."

"Hn." The elemental must be referring to the troubles he had been experiencing.

Akiyama lifted a brow. "Don't bother denying it. I heard about the issues with your security teams."

"Pitiful attempts at marring the reputation of the company," Sesshoumaru remarked disdainfully.

"But it definitely made things difficult, right?" Akiyama prodded.

"Perhaps," Sesshoumaru replied noncommittally.

"I'm in the middle of tracking down the one responsible for all this. I can guess who it is, but I don't want to retaliate without some real proof."

"You have been encountering dead ends," Sesshoumaru guessed.

Akiyama's lips tilted. "I suppose you've been experiencing the same thing."

Sesshoumaru stood up, deciding that it was time to end the meeting. He would consider Akiyama's words in the privacy of his own office, or home. "You will keep me informed," he intoned evenly. It was not a request.

Akiyama gave him a curt nod. "And you will return the favor."

"Hn."

* * *

Kagome skipped happily as she approached the shrine, her face wreathed in a large smile. 

She had been nervous when she had gone to her private college after work to check the results on the board. But she need not have worried. To her jubilation, and a smattering of disbelief, she had found that she passed the finals.

She passed!

Laughing out loud, she ran up the shrine steps. Now all she had to do was to apply for jobs at medical facilities and other emergency services. Her results were good enough to give her a good chance at securing a job as a paramedic.

"I'm home!" she yelled as she ran into the living room.

Souta looked away from the television. "You look happy."

"I passed my exams!" Kagome declared.

Her mother gasped. And then, eyes shining with joy, she enveloped Kagome in a hug. "Congratulations, my dear! I'm so proud of you."

Kagome grinned as she hugged her mother back. "Now I can apply for a proper job."

"Congratulations, Nee-chan," Souta wished with a smile.

Detaching herself from her mother, Kagome ruffled her brother's hair. "Thanks, Souta." Glancing around, she asked, "Where's Sachimaru and Jii-chan?"

"Your Jii-chan is at a friend's. Sachimaru is upstairs looking at some of the little books you bought him," her mother said. "Have you had dinner? The rest of us have eaten."

Kagome shook her head. "I'm too excited to eat. I think I'll just get Sachimaru to bed and sleep earlier tonight."

With a small wave towards her family, Kagome ran up the stairs into her son's room. Her eyes softened at the image of the boy sprawled on his stomach on the bed, his attention fixed to the book. Although he could read the letters, Sachimaru had not yet learnt how to read properly. Maybe it was time for him to learn.

Sensing her presence, Sachimaru tilted his head up. Then he smiled brightly and jumped off the bed, rushing towards her. "Okaa-san! You're back!" he exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her thighs.

"Yes. And I passed my exams," she announced happily.

"Really? Congratulations!"

It was time to let Sachimaru in on the surprise she had for him. "And I've got a surprise for you, Sachimaru."

His golden eyes lit up. "What is it, Mom?"

She leaned down close to his ears and whispered conspiratorially, "We're going to the Demon Carnival tomorrow."

Sachimaru's eyes rounded and then a squeal of delight burst from him. "Really?"

She nodded indulgently. "Now go and wash up. You're going to bed."

His shoulders slumped. "But it's still early," he complained.

Quirking her brow, she told him, "It's going to be a long day tomorrow. You'll be too tired for the carnival if you don't rest."

Eyes brightening again at the mention of the carnival, Sachimaru instantly rushed to the bathroom. A while later, he returned, freshly washed. Once changed into his pajamas, Kagome tucked him into bed and settled beside him.

"Okaa-san. Can you continue the story? The one where the miko fell into the well and got captured by the evil demon lord?"

Kagome smiled. She had been telling Sachimaru her dreams as his bedtime story, embellished a little for his young ears, of course. "You still want to hear it?"

"What happened to the miko in the story? Last night, you told me that she was angry that he tricked her."

"Oh…" Kagome paused, trying to recall at which point of the dream she had stopped. Then she remembered.

Settling in comfortably beside Sachimaru, she began, "The big bad demon, Lord Sesshoumaru, was angry with the miko for hiding such an important fact from him. But you see, the miko only wanted him to get rid of her, to allow her to go home."

"But why does he keep her there and train her?"

"He has plans for her," she whispered, widening her eyes dramatically.

Sachimaru sat up, his golden eyes gleaming with anticipation. "What plans?"

"Shh…I can't tell you now. You will find out later in the story. Now lie back and let me continue."

Nodding, Sachimaru settled back down into the bed.

"The miko decided that she would leave anyway. She missed her family and she wanted nothing more than to go home. So she decided to escape."

Sachimaru gasped.

Kagome stifled a grin at his reaction. Perhaps her dream was not really suitable as a bedtime story. But Sachimaru seemed to like it so much. "One night, when everyone else was asleep, the miko slowly crawled out of her futon and went out of her room. Tiptoeing down the hallway, she prayed that no one would notice her. She made sure she walked in the shadows until she came to an empty room. You see, the miko had been watching the guards, and she knew that the guards never patrolled outside that room. She opened the screen and jumped out. Looking left and right, she saw no one, but she could see the gates."

Lowering her voice, she continued, "The miko was very excited and nervous at the same time. Wanting nothing more than to escape, she decided to run for it." She paused for effect before she said, "Guards suddenly appeared from all direction. The miko panicked and ran faster, but the demons were faster. For a while, she considered using her powers against them, but she didn't like the idea of hurting them. They had not been mean to her or anything. On the contrary, they had been respectful to her. It was all very strange."

"What happened then?" Sachimaru whispered.

"The shouts came closer and closer. And then the miko tripped. The next thing she knew, the guards were carrying her back to the castle."

"She didn't escape?" Sachimaru asked, his eyes dimming in disappointment.

Kagome shook her head. "Sadly, no."

"What happened next?"

Kagome grinned as she ruffled his hair. "That's a story for next time."

Face twisting, Sachimaru whined, "Okaa-san!"

"Sleep."

Reluctantly, the boy pulled the covers up to his chin and closed his eyes. Soon enough, his breathing evened out, telling her that he had fallen asleep.

Kagome sighed as she recalled the rest of her dream.

* * *

_Dream__ Flashback_

…………

She was woken up by the annoyingly cheerful chirping of the birds. Yawning widely, she peered out through a pair of bleary eyes at the dim light filtering through the translucent washi. Dawn had arrived, it seemed, she thought grumpily.

Another day of training with Katsuo.

She groaned as she sat up, wincing as her entire body protested. Her muscles ached like it had never done before.

Ever since Sesshoumaru had found out about her skills, Katsuo had redoubled his efforts at her training. The blue-eyed demon had been persistent, pushing her almost to the point of collapse. The training had taken a different note now. It was as if Sesshoumaru had insisted that Katsuo focused the training in the battle department rather than the more sedate meditation type.

She had tried to escape once soon after her confrontation with Sesshoumaru. But somehow, it did not surprise her that she did not even make it past the palace walls. Well, she would not be trying anytime soon. She could feel her blood boil even as she thought about it. Once Sesshoumaru had figured out what she had attempted, he had plainly told her that should she attempt escape again, Natsumi and Katsuo would suffer. The idiot had some nerve.

She stood up and began to dress, fuming silently as she did so. Just as she had finished pulling on the tabi onto her feet, a tap sounded on the screen.

"Come in, Natsumi," she called out as she had done for the past three weeks.

Natsumi slid open the screen and stepped in, her eyes carrying its usual hint of concern. Kagome frowned. What was wrong with Natsumi? For the last one week, the girl had been giving her funny looks. It Kagome did not know better, she would have thought that those looks were meant to convey sympathy.

The rest of the servants had been just as bad. Something was definitely going on, because every time she had neared them, they suddenly stopped talking. She wondered if Katsuo knew what it was.

As usual, Natsumi placed the breakfast tray on the small table and waited until she had finished it before standing up to leave.

"Natsumi?" Kagome called out, deciding there and then to ask the other girl what was going on.

Natsumi halted in her tracks and turned around. "Yes, Kagome?"

Now, how would she word it? "Is everything okay? I mean, everyone seems a little…different this past week."

Natsumi's eyes flickered. "Of course," she declared with a large smile.

Kagome eyed the other girl suspiciously. "I know there's something going on. What is it?"

A weak laugh escaped Natsumi's lips. And then, abruptly, she exclaimed, "Oh! I'm late. I need to go. I'll see you tonight, Kagome."

With that, she sped out of the room.

Kagome tapped her foot. Now she was _sure _that something was going on.

(t.b.c.)

* * *

A/N: I hope you've enjoyed that. Please review and let me know what you think of it! 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Hi there! Thanks for reading and reviewing the previous chapter. I hope you'll enjoy this one.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 5**

The shoji screen rushed past Kagome as she hurried down the hallway, intent on finding Katsuo. If anyone could tell her what was going on with all the whispers and the evasive looks she had been receiving, it would be him. After all, he was practically her best friend in this place.

Katsuo was not there, she realized with disappointment when she completed the circuit of the castle, ending up at the entrance. Maybe he was in the dojo next to the servants' quarters. With that thought, she pushed the door open and let herself out. The two guards at the door immediately turned to face her, wearing identical expressions of amused curiosity. Kagome's face reddened. No doubt they were recalling her escape attempt when they had to drag her back to the castle.

She forced out an uncomfortable laugh. "Don't worry, I'm not running away."

Lips twitching, one of them said, "We did not imply such a thing, Miko."

Rolling her eyes, she retorted, "But you're _thinking _of it."

"Perhaps."

"Well. I'm not planning on running today."

"That would be wise, Miko," one of them said, his eyes twinkling.

Grinning, she continued to walk past them. Yes, she was not running away, but it was only because of the threat to Katsuo and Natsumi. She grumbled under her breath. Sesshoumaru was far too clever for his own good. She had to find a way to protect them from Sesshoumaru's punishments if she wanted to attempt escape again.

Wistfully, she flicked a glance to the main gates.

Her steps faltered when she noticed two figures standing there, their gazes already turned towards her. Then her eyes widened in recognition of the blue-haired demon beside Sesshoumaru. Without further thought, she ran towards them.

"It's you!" she exclaimed, skidding to a halt in front of the two demons. She frowned, trying to remember his name. "Akiyama, right?"

The blue-haired demon nodded, apparently unconcerned about the way she addressed him. Instead, his lips tilted as he remarked, "I see that you are well."

Kagome snorted. "Yeah, no thanks to you. Look, this thing about me being a gift to the Western lands had gone on long enough. Don't you think it is time to get Sesshoumaru to let me go?"

"Your fate is no longer his to decide upon," Sesshoumaru interjected curtly.

Annoyed, she swung around to face the stoic lord. "Stop talking about me like I'm some property."

He simply quirked a brow

Beside him, the blue-haired demon laughed. "It seems that I have chosen the appropriate gift, Lord Sesshoumaru. She is certainly spirited enough to entertain you."

Kagome frowned while Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Unconcerned by the looks he was being given, Akiyama continued thoughtfully, "Perhaps during this visit, I may have the pleasure of her company?"

Jaw dropping, Kagome gaped at the demon. He could not be suggesting what she thought he was suggesting, right? She was not exactly familiar with the customs here but it sounded like he wanted her in his bed.

"You wish to taint yourself with the touch of a human?" Sesshoumaru asked, his lips curling slightly in distaste.

"HEY!" Kagome protested indignantly although she understood that Sesshoumaru's words would probably save her from the fate of having to serve the blue-haired demon lord in his bed. But the way the Western Lord had said it made her sound like she has some sort of disease and it irritated her.

"Silence, wench!" Sesshoumaru ordered coldly.

She glared at him. "Don't order-"

"You misunderstand, Lord Sesshoumaru," Akiyama interjected smoothly. "I simply wish for my sake to be poured and some lively company. Nothing more. It is my understanding that this custom is common amongst allies."

Expression growing darker, Sesshoumaru finally bit out tightly, "Do as you wish, Lord Akiyama. However, you may not harm her."

"She will be unharmed."

"Hn."

Kagome fidgeted nervously. This was not good. She needed to talk Sesshoumaru into changing his mind. How did he expect her to keep Akiyama company when Akiyama was the one who had kidnapped her in the first place? Granted, Kouga was the one who had brought her here. But still, Akiyama was involved in it.

"By the way, Lord Sesshoumaru. I've heard…interesting things recently," Akiyama remarked evenly.

She saw the almost imperceptible narrowing of Sesshoumaru's eyes before the demon replied blandly, "Is that so?"

"I did not expect you to be the kind to do such a thing."

Sesshoumaru wore a bored expression when he replied, "This Sesshoumaru cares not about the expectation of others."

"Oh? You are not concerned that your concubine do not wish for your touch?"

Kagome frowned in confusion. What was Akiyama talking about? Did Sesshoumaru have a concubine hidden somewhere in the place? Surely she would have known if he had, right? Then her lips twitched as the rest of Akiyama's words registered. Sesshoumaru's concubine did not want him to touch her? Considering his attitude, she was not sure that she blamed her, whoever she was.

Kagome watched with interest as Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed into slits. However, he did not bother to reply to the other demon. Instead, he turned and called out to the toad demon standing not far away. When Jaken stepped up to them, Sesshoumaru instructed, "Show Lord Akiyama to his chambers."

"Yes, my lord," Jaken assented with a vigorous nod.

Akiyama smirked knowingly as he began to walk away, following the small demon. "We will confer later," he said over his shoulders.

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened visibly. "Hn."

Kagome released a breath of relief. It appeared that they had forgotten about her. Recalling her plan to find Katsuo, Kagome turned around only to be halted by Sesshoumaru's words.

"Miko. You will come with this Sesshoumaru," he intoned as he spun away from her.

Kagome's brow shot up. "What for?" she asked.

He stilled. Kagome watched as he turned slowly to face her, forcing herself not to flinch at his icy expression. "It is not your place to question this Sesshoumaru, Miko," he bit out.

She bristled. "I wouldn't be questioning you so much if you'd just explain things to me," she retorted irritably.

A muscle in his jaw ticked, but he simply stared at her for a moment longer before he turned to walk away, obviously expecting her to follow him. Kagome glowered at his retreating back, feeling the urge to throw something at him. How could someone be such a pain in the ass? And she bet that he was not even trying.

Grudgingly, she trudged after him until they reached his study. Once she stepped in, the guard at the door slid the shoji screen shut, leaving the two of them alone in the sparsely furnished space.

Sesshoumaru spun around to face her, his expression betraying nothing. "You will tell him nothing of your training, or anything you've learnt with regards to the Western Lands."

Kagome blinked, trying to comprehend what Sesshoumaru was saying. Then it sank in. "Does that mean you really want me to…um…keep him company?" she ventured nervously.

He gave her an odd look before he nodded curtly. "Hn."

She bit her lips as she frowned, trying to think of a way to get out of her latest predicament. She really did not want to be left alone with the other demon. And although she and Sesshoumaru did not get along all that well, he was the only one who could get her out of this. She just had to swallow her pride and beg him.

Taking a deep breath, she pled, "Sesshoumaru…Please don't make me go to Akiyama."

His eyes flickered for a moment before it turned blank again. "It is part of our customs, Miko," he told her in a level voice.

She groaned. "But I don't know if I can trust him. I mean, he captured me after all."

"You fear him?" Sesshoumaru sounded irritated.

Throwing her hands up in the air, she exclaimed in exasperation, "No! I just don't want to be left alone with him, alright?"

He responded to her outburst with silence. Brows slightly furrowed, he simply stared at her thoughtfully. Just when she thought that her patience would run out, he said evenly, "This Sesshoumaru will instruct Shin to accompany you. He will remain outside the chamber while you entertain the Northern Lord."

Kagome's lips parted in shock. Although she realized that it was unlikely, she had hoped that he would rescind the instruction for her to keep Akiyama company. But instead, he wanted to assign his guard to see to her safety? It proved to her that he understood her concerns. That, in itself, was a strange thing. And she did not know what to make of it. It was almost as if he…cared.

"Also, you will not let him know of your miko abilities."

Still stunned at his decision, Kagome did not bother to ask for the reasons before she nodded her agreement.

"Shin," Sesshoumaru called out.

The shoji screen slid open to reveal the guard in question. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" he queried.

"You will escort the miko to the Northern Lord's chamber and remain outside while she accompanies him. Make sure that she does not come to any harm."

His expression betraying nothing, Shin simply nodded. Turning around, the guard bowed slightly to her and said, "Follow me, Miko."

"It's Kagome," she muttered absently as she trailed after him.

Stepping past the shoji screen, she glanced over her shoulders back into Sesshoumaru's chamber. To her astonishment, he gave her an encouraging nod. Allowing a small smile to cross her lips, she took a deep, calming breath and walked out. Slowly, she was led to where Akiyama was staying. It appeared that Jaken had placed him only a few rooms down from her.

Shin tapped on the shoji screen and waited until he received permission to enter. Gesturing to the screen, he said in a low voice, "I will be here if you require any assistance."

Kagome nodded and then let herself into Akiyama's chamber. The blue-haired demon looked up from the table when she entered.

"Sit down," he instructed, gesturing at the opposite side of the table.

Kagome gulped as the shoji screen slid shut behind her. Akiyama's words sounded somewhat ominous. "I…um…" she stuttered. How was she supposed to get out of this one?

"Do not worry. I mean you no harm," Akiyama told her with a small smile. "I did not catch your name the last time we met."

Her nervousness instantly fled as she recalled how she had been treated back then. "Of course. You were too busy drugging me, remember?" she pointed out dryly as she knelt down in front of him, her gaze landing on the tray which contained bottle of sake and matching cups.

His eyebrows rose, and then a contemplative look crossed his face. "Yes. It was not the most amiable of circumstance. However, things appear to have turned out well?"

Kagome pursed her lips. "You've got to be joking," she muttered.

His eyes flashed with amusement. "Before I forget…" He paused as he retrieved something from the folds of his clothes. Then, giving her an encouraging smile, he held out a familiar bundle to her.

Her jaw dropped when she recognized the familiar colors. "My school uniform!" she exclaimed, snatching the bundle from him. Then, glancing at him in confusion, she remarked in a hushed voice, "I can't believe you kept it."

"It is only right that I return it to you. It is yours after all." Then, gesturing to the tray, he continued, "Perhaps you would like to pour the sake now?"

Clutching the only thing which really belonged to her in this place tightly against her chest, she flicked a nervous glance at the demon before her. It was weird that she felt so uncomfortable in his presence. She did not feel nearly as uncomfortable around Sesshoumaru, even though they had clashed more than once. Come to think of it, it might be because she knew what to expect from Sesshoumaru, but this demon in front of her was another matter. However, aside from kidnapping her and drugging her, which was bad enough, Akiyama had not treated her too badly, she reasoned. Maybe she should just relax a little. And after all, if he tried something, she could just yell for Shin.

With sigh of resignation, she knelt down before him. Her hands paused over the tray, suddenly wondering if there was some sort of ritual to this. Then she shrugged inwardly, deciding that she would just pour it. After all, she did not claim to be familiar with their customs.

Accepting the cup of sake, Akiyama nodded his thanks and swallowed the beverage. Returning the cup to the table, he gestured at the other empty one. "You do not wish for some refreshment?"

Kagome shook her head quickly. "No. I'm fine."

"So, how do you like the Western Lands?" Akiyama asked conversationally.

"It's alright, I suppose," she replied carefully, remembering what Sesshoumaru had told her earlier.

"Lord Sesshoumaru protects it well. Many fear his wrath."

Kagome resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I suppose he can be quite cold at times."

"At times?" Akiyama let out a smirk. "One could certainly say that you are generous with your assessment. Many would say much worse about him."

Was Akiyama trying to insult Sesshoumaru in his own home? Kagome's lips tightened disapprovingly at the demon's lack of manners. "What are you trying to say, Akiyama?" she bit out.

Akiyama quirked a brow. "Simply that Lord Sesshoumaru's reputation precedes him."

"What reputation?" she ventured hesitantly. She was not sure she wanted to know.

"Are you telling me that you're unaware that you're under the protection of the most ruthless and efficient killer present in these days?"

Kagome paled. No, she did not know that. She knew that Sesshoumaru was powerful, but she had not seen him kill anything so far. And from what she could tell, his servants and guards served him not so much out of fear, but respect. It did not fit into the pattern Akiyama was suggesting.

Akiyama raised a brow and continued, "I see that you don't know. You have seen his daily routine and the training of his warriors, I presume. Surely that would give you an inkling."

Frowning, Kagome just stared at the demon seated across her. Although his questions had been worded innocently, she felt herself growing wary. She had this feeling that he was trying to pry some information from her. So Sesshoumaru had been right to warn her after all. She had to be more careful now that she realized what Akiyama was trying to do. The thought of leaking information to this demon did not sit well with her, even if she did not get on that well with Sesshoumaru.

"I spend my time indoors, so I don't see much of what's happening outside," she said, staring the demon in the eyes.

She saw his lips twitch. He obviously did not believe her. Her eyes narrowed in determination. If he wanted to play verbal tag with her, then so be it. She had no intention of breaking her word to Sesshoumaru.

* * *

Kagome frowned as she recalled how the dream had continued. The next two days had been challenging, as her dream self continued to dodge Akiyama's sneaky questions. Strangely enough, she had enjoyed the battle of wits. Still, she had been glad when Akiyama left to return to his lands, allowing her to finally corner Katsuo. The hanyou had been reluctant to tell her dream self what she wanted to know and it had taken a lot of persuasion before he finally caved.

Kagome immediately felt the rise of her temper at the information Katsuo had imparted to her dream self. Even now, the thought of it made her feel like strangling one particular imaginary character in her dream. The one with the long silver hair and infuriatingly disdainful expressions.

"We're here!" Sachimaru exclaimed, jerking her out of her thoughts.

Pushing the unpleasant memories of her dreams to the back of her mind, Kagome smiled at her son. Her steps were light as she walked to the entrance of the gated park. Beside her, Sachimaru was bubbling with barely contained excitement as she handed over their tickets to the man at the entrance booth.

"Name?"

"Higurashi Kagome and guest."

The man scanned the screen in front of him before looking at Sachimaru curiously. Then he nodded and stamped her tickets, allowing them entrance.

Organized chaos was the only thing which came to Kagome's mind as her eyes wandered. The Demon Carnival had taken over the entire park and transformed the usually quiet place into a colorful fairground. Stalls lined the gravel pathway, selling everything from food to what looked like fake demonic charms and weapons. Further along, a wide raised platform was set up, illuminated by large spotlights overhead. Benches were arranged in concentric circles around the platform, rapidly filling up with excited spectators. That was obviously where they were supposed to go for the show.

"Okaa-san! Hurry, or we'll miss the show!" Sachimaru gushed, pulling her along.

Kagome stumbled at the force, but she was no longer surprised by Sachimaru's almost inhuman strength. The boy was simply excited, she thought indulgently. Giving in, she jogged behind her son as Sachimaru dashed madly towards the benches surrounding the platform. They found two vacant seats somewhere near the middle and sat down thankfully. She glanced around curiously, noting that the audience ranged from children up to full-grown adults dressed in various traditional and modern outfits.

A hushed sound suddenly floated through the space, directing Kagome's attention to the stage. Then the spotlight landed on a lone figure. The commentator was a red-headed man with mischievous green eyes. Kagome found her eyes drawn to his bushy red tail. That could not be real, she told herself. But how on earth did he make it move like that?

"Welcome to the new season of our Demon Show. I'm Shippou, your host for the premiere of this season."

"Okaa-san, look. His tail is twitching," Sachimaru exclaimed in an awed whisper. "Can I have one too? Where can we buy one?"

Kagome grinned. "Are you sure you want one? Just think of what Souta will do to it."

Sachimaru made a face.

Her attention was drawn away from the boy when Shippou, the host announced proudly, "Before we begin, I would like to thank Taishou Holdings, our founder, for sponsoring this event today. Demon Carnival would not exist without the support of this company."

The crowd cheered raucously. As Kagome clapped along, it occurred to her that IY Media and Entertainment was probably part of Taishou Holdings.

When the noise died down, Shippou continued, "Now, for the moment you all are waiting for." His grin widened. "Let us present you with our first act. Please give a round of applause to Touran, our lovely resident cat demon!"

The crowd cheered and hooted as a beautiful woman with long blue hair and blue-grey kimono jumped up onto the platform and bowed gracefully.

"And her opponent, Shuuran! Yes, although he may not look like it, he also a cat demon."

A hulking man stepped out onto the large stage, beating his chest exaggeratedly, letting out a vicious snarl as he did so. A smattering of laughter trickled through the crowd cheered. Kagome instantly felt goosebumps rising on her arms.

The lights dimmed and a spotlight focused on the host. The redhead grinned before he whispered into the microphone, "Let the show begin."

The backdrop instantly changed, displaying a view of a cliff top. With a sudden snarl, the performer called Shuuran charged his opponent. Kagome's eyes widened in fascination as he threw his hands forward, releasing what appeared to be lightning bolts at the smirking woman.

This was some good special effect, Kagome thought. No wonder the tickets were so expensive. Good thing she got it for free.

The crowd yelled and hollered as the woman called Touran leapt out of the way just a fraction of a second before the lightning bolts connected with her. As she descended from the air, she released a stream of mist which wrapped around Shuuran. Instantly, a sheet of ice formed around the man.

Kagome gaped. Everything looked so real, she thought as Sachimaru bounced with excitement beside her. It was definitely entertaining. But what she found odd was that each time they attacked, she felt her hackles rise. Her reaction was unnerving. It was as if she was practically twitching to stop them from fighting. Glancing down briefly, she found that she had clenched her hands into tight fists.

When the fight ended, she immediately felt the release of tension from her body. Strange. Perhaps she was simply tired.

"Now, for our next performance, I present you with Ayame…and Kouga!"

Kagome watched curiously as the next pair came in. Then she immediately blinked in disbelief. The guy on the stage was called Kouga. But what surprised her most was the fact that he looked almost identical to the Kouga in her dreams. She frowned. What was she thinking? That this Kouga was really a demon?

No. It was not possible. Maybe she had seen him on a Demon Carnival poster or something and his image had gotten stuck in her mind. And that was probably why he had popped up in her dreams. The alternative was just too…unbelievable.

Again, this performance was another fight which seemed to be centered on some story Kagome was not familiar with. But still, looking at their furry costumes and the way their fangs gleamed in the spotlights was enough of a treat.

Kagome watched intently as the fight progressed. The redhead leapt high up in the air before she shot down, her bared fangs looking as if they were aiming for the man's neck. Kouga's eyes widened in alarm before he darted sideways to a distance he considered safe. Then he spun around to say something to her under his breath.

Kagome glanced around in confusion when the majority of the crowd began hooting and whistling, while the performer called Kouga glared at his opponent angrily for a moment. Then, to everyone's surprise, he stalked off the stage, leaving Ayame glaring at his back.

Shippou stepped on the stage, laughing a little. "Why, it seems that there is a little technical glitch over there. Not to worry, we-" he broke off a large furry animal entered the stage. Shippou's eyebrows rose. "It looks like Ayame has a new opponent," he announced cheerfully. Waving his hand at the newcomer, Shippou added, "Let's give a big round of applause for Kirara!"

Kagome blinked at the size of the animal. If what she had seen before was unbelievable, then this was even more so. The white animal looked like a cat, but MUCH bigger. How did they do it? Then realizing what she was thinking, a small smile appeared on her lips before it grew into a full-blown grin. She was overanalyzing things. After all, this was the entertainment industry, right?

She should just let herself be entertained, she thought as she sat back comfortably to watch the rest of the show.

* * *

The performance had just ended by the time Sesshoumaru arrived. He did not bother to watch it. After all, he was familiar with the format by now. Instead, he remained backstage, away from the crowd of spectators who were now exiting the performance area. Glancing around, he noted that the faces around him were familiar.

As he walked past a trailer, Sesshoumaru raised a brow at the sight which greeted him. So, the wolf pack was the new addition to the Demon Carnival troops. Kouga's odd request more than a year ago suddenly made sense.

The wolf prince had appeared one day to ask him to take over the Eastern Territories while he and his wolf pack took an extended vacation. Knowing that he could not allow anyone else to take control of the lands so close to the west, Sesshoumaru had agreed, on the understanding that it would only be temporary.

It had been one year since that day and Sesshoumaru was still overseeing the east. He was beginning to wonder if Kouga had decided to extend his vacation indefinitely. The fact that he was part of the demon troops here told Sesshoumaru that Kouga was obviously still 'vacationing'. Perhaps it was time for them to have a discussion.

Kouga was snarling at the other wolf, Ayame. "You didn't have to come so near my neck. You almost marked me," the ex-wolf prince spat.

The female's eyes flashed. "And so what if I marked you?" she challenged. "You promised to mate me anyway."

"Damn it, Ayame! That was more than five hundred years ago. Get over it!"

"A promise is a promise!" she retorted angrily.

"Gah! I made that promise to make you feel better. For Kami's sakes, you were only a cub then!" Kouga shot back. "How many times must I tell you to forget it?"

Bored by the display, Sesshoumaru turned away from the couple. They had been arguing about the same thing for centuries and he wondered why they bothered to do so. Kouga should simply mate the female.

Conscious that he was meant to meet Rin at the stalls, Sesshoumaru moved away from the performance platform and made his way down the gravel path. The colorful stalls stood out sorely against the natural backdrop of trees and plants scattered around the park. He scanned the crowd slowly, trying to detect Rin's familiar form.

Then Sesshoumaru froze as his eyes landed on a small boy.

The boy was wearing a traditional yukata, coupled oddly with a pair of Nike trainers which pounded the ground as he pulled his mother to an ice-cream stall.

"Okaa-san, you promised!" he whined.

"Oh, alright," the mother said indulgently.

Sesshoumaru could not take his eyes off the boy. In all outward appearances, the boy appeared human, even though his hair was silver in color. But that was not the reason for Sesshoumaru's astonishment.

Was surprised him was the crescent moon on the boy's forehead, half covered by silvery bangs. In addition to that, Sesshoumaru could clearly see those silver bangs brushing against the tip of a pair of pointed ears.

As if sensing his perusal, the boy turned around curiously.

Sesshoumaru's breath lodged in his throat.

His eyes were golden. Like his. Like Inuyasha's.

Somehow, Sesshoumaru was able to sense that the boy was growing agitated at his perusal. Quickly, he raised a finger to his lips, and the boy instantly stilled. Two pairs of golden eyes continued to stare at each other. Finally, Sesshoumaru broke his gaze to look up at the boy's mother. She was buying an ice-cream from the stall, her attention fixed on the choices in front of her.

His eyes widened in recognition and his breath instantly suspended in his throat. She appeared to be a little older, her figure more womanly than he had remembered. But there was no mistaking the light in her twinkling brown eyes or the long legs which peeked out from the short dress.

It was the miko from his dreams.

At that very instant, the disturbing dream he had last night flooded his mind.

* * *

Sesshoumaru awoke at dawn. However, unlike the past two days, this morning seemed brighter. His lips instantly lifted, pleased at the knowledge that the Northern Lord had finally removed himself from the Western Lands. The fact that Sesshoumaru could not sense Shin's presence within the castle grounds meant that his guard was escorting the Northern Lord out of the Western Lands.

Fortunately, whilst he and Akiyama had spent most afternoons on discussing territorial issues, Akiyama had chosen to spend the rest of his time with the miko. Despite her initial misgivings, it appeared that she had grown to tolerate the elemental's presence, Sesshoumaru thought with a grimace. According to Shin's reports, the elemental and the miko's conversations had touched upon many subjects. However, the miko had heeded his warnings. Surprisingly, she had possessed enough intelligence to evade all of the Northern Lord's veiled questions regarding the Western Lands. What astonished him more was the fact that she had even defended him on several occasions.

Her loyalty was unexpected.

And now that he thought over it, his action two days ago was just as unexpected. At that time, she had been distressed enough such that he had felt it necessary to assign Shin to her, though he did not understand her concerns. After all, she had been alone in his and Katsuo's presence countless times. And the very fact that he had felt the need to reassure her with Shin's presence unsettled him.

It would not happen again, he decided firmly as he rose from the futon to dress for the day.

He was in the middle of donning his clothes when the door to his room slammed open. Annoyed at the unannounced intrusion, Sesshoumaru spun around only to find an angry miko glaring at him.

"Sesshoumaru!"

Not wanting to face her completely unclothed, Sesshoumaru returned to secure his hakama before he turned to face her with a look of disapproval.

"Is there a reason for this insolence, Miko?" he ground out.

The miko's chin lifted by a fraction, apparently oblivious to his state of undress. "As a matter of fact, yes."

Sesshoumaru's brow quirked. "Perhaps you would like to enlighten this Sesshoumaru."

Her eyes flashed. "What is this thing going around the place about your sick intentions towards me?"

_Sick?_ Instantly understanding the miko's accusations, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in irritation. Did she think that he, Sesshoumaru, had anything to do with such a petty rumor? That he had nothing better to do than to encourage the servants to talk about something which was so obviously untrue? Could they not see the disgust in his countenance when he even looked at the miko?

"And you don't even have anything to say about it?" she snapped.

It appeared that she would not relent until he replied to her. Did she not realize that her current position in his chambers would only fuel the ridiculous rumors? "Miko. The rumors are just that. Rumors," he bit out.

Her eyes twitching, she exclaimed, "Well, stop them! It's demeaning."

"It is certainly more demeaning to this Sesshoumaru," he remarked dryly.

"So you're just going to let it continue like this?" she asked, incredulous.

"They will soon find something else to talk about."

She gave him an unconvinced look. "You're sure?"

"Hn." Perhaps she would leave him to finish dressing now. It was odd how the miko did not care about being in the presence of a half-naked male alone, considering that she had been so distraught over the notion of keeping Akiyama entertained two days ago.

She released a heavy sigh. "Fine. I suppose I can live with it for a short while," she said in a long-suffering voice. "Though the idea of them thinking that you forced yourself on me is pretty sickening."

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to snort. The miko made it sound as if she was the one being wronged. The notion that he, Sesshoumaru, would desire to ravage a human miko was nothing short of ludicrous.

Not able to keep his thoughts to himself, he intoned flatly, "Miko. You flatter yourself."

Her aura expanded in her anger. "What are you trying to say?" she gritted out.

"Do you think that this Sesshoumaru would lower himself to rut with a human female?" he asked tightly. At that thought, the images of her naked skin immediately presented themselves to his mind. Before he could brush it away, those long limbs began to make their way to him. His mind then enhanced the image with water-slicked skin and lustful brown eyes. Annoyed, Sesshoumaru clenched his hands into fists. What was wrong with his mind?

"Rut? RUT?" she yelled. "I wouldn't _rut_ with you even if you're the last living being on earth."

Desperately attempting to push away the images conjured by his wayward mind, Sesshoumaru gritted out, "That is very fortunate for this Sesshoumaru. The mere touch of your skin would have caused unbearable distress." But not for the reason she thought, he added silently.

She advanced on him, glaring all the while until she was only a hand's width apart from him. Filled with morbid curiosity, he wondered what she intended to do.

As a response, she prodded his bare chest with one small human finger. "There. I _touched_ you," she declared smugly. "I hope you're now _unbearably_ distressed!"

Sesshoumaru glared at her, growling at her insolence even as he tried to ignore the tingling on his chest. He wanted to walk away or perhaps toss her across the room. But to his dismay, he seemed frozen to the spot. Her brown eyes were shining up at him in a strange light, her cheeks flushed with her heightened emotions. A warm glow surrounded her, making her seem ethereal. Her scent, a mix of peach and something powerful, invaded his nostril, making him feel almost lightheaded.

To his consternation, he felt his body heating up to the stimulation. Clenching his fists, he willed the unwanted arousal to leave him. It would not do to respond to this human female in such an inappropriate manner. She was not his concubine and he had no intention of assigning such a role to her.

She prodded at him again. And this time, he caught the infuriating finger in his hand.

"Do not tempt this Sesshoumaru to end your life," he snarled threateningly.

She shrank back a little, and then determination flashed across her features. "Just try it!" she shot back fearlessly. "Not only have you kept me here against my will. Now you want to threaten me?"

The urge to subdue her overwhelmed him. She would concede to him. He would not allow such an insolent female to challenge him.

In a flash, he swung his arm and flung her to the other end of his newly repaired chambers. The bamboo wall creaked in protest at the impact, but it remained intact. Surprisingly enough, so did the miko. Picking herself up, she tossed him a furious look as she wiped her blood off her lips.

"Why you…"

He felt an odd pang of remorse at the sight of her split lips. She must have landed on something sharp, he thought with a quick glance at the wall.

Then she lifted a palm out towards him. "Take this!" she yelled.

Recalling the previous destruction of his sleeping chambers, Sesshoumaru quickly streaked to the side just as a beam of pure pearlescent light sped towards him. Her control had obviously improved, but not enough. The moment he escaped her attack, he flung his whips right at her. He saw her eyes widen momentarily before she held out her glowing palms between them.

His attack was instantly repelled, much to his annoyance. Her reflexes had increased greatly ever since their last confrontation. Katsuo had been pushing her hard, it seemed. Even if she still could not aim perfectly.

"Cease your foolishness now, Miko!" he snarled as he propelled himself to her side.

She let out a gasp as he forcefully grabbed her wrist, pinning them up against the wall behind them. Without the use of her hands, she could hardly do anymore damage to his property.

She began to struggle, trying to kick out at him. He simply pressed his body closer to limit the movements of her legs. Unfortunately, his body insisted on reacting to her soft curves without his consent. Once again, he attempted to ignore it, but her frantic movements were making it an impossible task.

"Let me go, Sesshoumaru!" she yelled, squirming in his hold.

Glaring at her and attempting not to notice how his body was reacting, Sesshoumaru snarled into her face, "You will control yourself and cease to anger this Sesshoumaru."

"You brought in on to yourself," she retorted heatedly, pushing against him. "Now let me go or you'll regret it!"

Another flash of heat jolted through his person. Certain that he had never felt so agitated or so frustrated in his entire life, Sesshoumaru bit back a groan. His body was betraying him and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Already, he could feel the uncontrollable swirl of aroused energy pulsing around him.

Forcing down the temptation to subdue her in the manner his flesh demanded, Sesshoumaru hissed, "Cease your empty threats, Wench!"

Her eyes rounded in disbelief. "Wench? WENCH? It's not enough that you don't even call me by my name. And now, you've reduced it to WENCH?" she yelled, trying to kick at him, but only succeeded in bucking her hips against his.

His ears rang at the loudness of her words, but the only thing he could feel was the warmth from her body. He would remove his person from her once he got his point across. Gritting his teeth, Sesshoumaru brought his eyes close to hers. "You will obey this Sesshoumaru's orders."

The look she gave him was nothing short of defiant. "No!" she yelled as she attempted to lunge out of his hold.

Sesshoumaru pulled back a little, but not enough to avoid the brush of her lips to brush against the corner of his. Both of them immediately froze, staring at each other dumbly. His lips tingled, and without thinking, he licked the spot. The taste of her blood exploded on his tongue, making him realize his mistake as the heat coursing through his body intensified.

Her eyes darkening, she gasped. "Y-You licked my blood." Then she renewed her struggles with increased vigor.

Foolish wench, he thought as he shook her roughly. "You will cease!" This female would submit to him.

"LET ME GO!" she snarled just as she lunged forward again in his hold.

Her teeth bared, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened just a second before he realized what she intended. But before he could move back, her teeth sank into the curve where his neck joined his shoulders. A brief flare of pain followed.

Then a strange hazy feeling enveloped his senses, blinding him to everything apart from the puncture in his neck. He could feel his youki rising towards that one point in his body but he was helpless to prevent it. His heartbeat sounded loud in his ears and he felt hers pounding frenetically in unison with his. Molten heat flowed through his frozen body, mingled with something completely unfamiliar.

Then it was gone.

Sesshoumaru broke out of the trance and immediately took a step back, his eyes widening in horror as the implication of what had just happened sank in.

The miko was lying unconscious on the floor, her lips stained with a mix of his blood and her blood. She was completely oblivious to what she had done. Sesshoumaru groaned and let his fist fly into through the bamboo wall in an uncharacteristic show of frustration.

There was no mistaking her scent now.

She smelled like him.

And he smelled like her.

She had made him her mate.

Such a thing should not be…possible. How did a simple bite turn into a mating mark? Could it be because of his reactions, his arousal when it had happened? Or was it because of something within the miko? Or was it because of her bleeding lips, allowing their blood to mingle?

His thoughts were cut short when his blood roared with the biting edginess of the incomplete mating. However, Sesshoumaru suppressed his instinct to return the mark. He would not be so weak as to give in to the calls of his flesh.

His fists clenched. He needed to set things right.

Being mated to a human miko was simply unacceptable.

* * *

Sesshoumaru blinked rapidly, trying to clear the preposterous notion of being marked by a human miko from his mind. Not far from him, the boy continued to stare at him wordlessly as his mother, the image of miko from his dreams, paid the vendor for the ice-cream.

Images of the miko from the past and the boy's mother intermingled in his mind, confusing him. This could not be a mere coincidence, he thought to himself. So what was it?

"Lord Sesshoumaru?"

At the sound of his name, he turned around to find Rin smiling at him. Her kits were standing not far away at a stall, inspecting the goods for sale.

"Rin," he greeted with a nod.

Peering beyond him, Rin asked curiously, "What are you looking at?"

Sesshoumaru swung around. To his consternation, the woman and the boy were gone. His eyes narrowed in irritation.

Why would he be dreaming of a human miko who looked exactly like a woman with a boy who was obviously related to him? For there could be no other explanation. With the silver hair, pointed ears, golden eyes and most importantly, the crescent moon on his forehead, there was no mistaking that the boy was a blood relative. The crescent moon was not prevalent on his father's side. Therefore, the boy must be a descendant on his mother's side.

In that case, the boy must be a demon. Sesshoumaru could only surmise that his true nature had been concealed since he detected no youki from the boy. Demonic or not, nothing explained why the boy's mother was identical to the miko in his dreams.

Unless of course, those were not just dreams. The 'dream' miko _had_ marked him as her mate after all. His hand immediately went to his neck, feeling the smooth skin beneath the collar of his grey shirt. There had never been a mating mark there and therefore, the event must have been simply a dream and nothing else.

Sesshoumaru felt an onset of a rare headache. He was thinking in useless circles. Forcing his discomfort away, he attempted to focus on the possible scenarios which might explain the odd situation. He would approach this systematically.

Firstly, the boy…the pup…could be his mother's son. But if that was the case, why would the pup address the miko look-alike as his mother? Demonesses were possessive and would not allow their own pup to recognize another as their mother.

Second, there was a possibility that there were male relatives on his mother's side which he was unaware of. Assuming that the miko look-alike was really the pup's mother, then the pup's father must be a male on Sesshoumaru's mother's side. However, that was highly unlikely considering the golden eyes, since that feature came from Inu-no-Taishou's side.

The most baffling possibility was that the pup was his. But how could that even be possible? Unless the dreams were not dreams after all. Since events in the dreams had occurred five hundred years ago, it implied that the human miko had lived for more than five centuries. Which was a completely ridiculous notion.

Unless, of course, she was mated to a demon. The thought made him strangely uneasy. Considering the absence of a mating mark on his neck, it must mean that she was mated to another demon. But which demon resembled him so much that the pup looked the way he did? Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed. Her scent would certainly tell him what he needed to know.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, what's wrong?" Rin asked.

Without answering, he strode towards the ice-cream stall. When he reached the stall, he paused and sniffed delicately, trying to detect their scent amidst all the other scents. He frowned at what his senses were telling him.

Their scents were not detectable. That, in itself, was odd.

However, what concerned him most was the unmistakable sign of their scent-masking.

Due to the inferior senses of the humans, the demons had not bothered to conceal their scents. They only needed to mask their scents if they wished to avoid detection and recognition by other demons. The fact that the woman and the boy had their scents masked was curious indeed.

He gritted his teeth in annoyance. They had escaped this time. However, with his vast resources, he was certain that he would be able to find them. The female would have the answers and he would hunt her down for the information.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, you're worrying me," Rin exclaimed anxiously.

He looked down at her. "Do not concern yourself, Rin. I'm fine."

Rin frowned, and then her eyes traveled down his person until they reached his briefcase. "You went to work on a weekend?"

"Hn."

Rin looked as if she was about to say something else, but her attention was drawn away by the approach of an irate hanyou. Inuyasha appeared to be rather annoyed. Sesshoumaru wondered idly what his brother had gotten himself into this time.

"Damn it! I can't believe that idiot!" Inuyasha exclaimed, running his hand through his long hair in agitation.

"What is wrong, Inuyasha?" Rin asked.

Inuyasha made a face. "Hiten. I decided to let him have a go at the paperwork side of things this time, but that idiot managed to mess up the orders. This is the fifth time he messed something up."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. As far as he knew, Inuyasha was never that good with paperwork either.

Oblivious to his thoughts, Inuyasha continued to rant, "And now, we don't have any dancers and it is Saturday today! People turn up at the clubs _because_ there are dancers."

"Maybe they enjoy the music?" Rin piped up innocently.

Inuyasha gave her a baleful look.

"I doubt it." Sesshoumaru's tone was dry.

"I guess I'll have to go back to pushing paper again," Inuyasha grumbled. "Damn! I hate paperwork. This means I'll be back behind the stupid desk, while Hiten enjoys himself in the clubs."

"You are not meant to entertain yourself while you're at work," Sesshoumaru pointed out with a frown.

"Keh! What's the harm in it? And anyway, not everyone is as stuffy as you are," Inuyasha shot back.

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened in irritation. Stuffy? "You will cease from describing me in such a manner," he growled.

Inuyasha raised a brow. "Yeah? And how are you going to stop me?"

Rin groaned. "Please don't start fighting. At least wait until you get home. Then you can beat each other up as much as you like."

Sesshoumaru locked his eyes onto Inuyasha, both of them glaring at each other wordlessly. The hanyou was asking for a fight, he could tell. And he would gladly oblige once they returned home. Besides, he could do with a way to vent his frustrations.

At the tug of Rin's hand on his arm, Sesshoumaru broke their eye contact and turned to the dark-haired woman.

"Let's go. Shippou wants to talk to you."

"Hn."

"Keh!"

* * *

"That was fun, Okaa-san," Sachimaru said sleepily as he snuggled into his bed.

Kagome smiled. "I'm glad you had fun. Now sleep, you've had a long day today." They had spent most of the afternoon browsing the stalls and playing games. It was only when dusk approached that Sachimaru had finally shown signs of exhaustion and Kagome had insisted that they returned home.

"Okaa-san?"

Noting the serious look on his face, Kagome sat down at the edge of his bed. "Yes?"

"Do you think that my father is somewhere out there?" he asked quietly.

Kagome stilled. Sachimaru knew that he was adopted, but this was the first time in years that he had actually asked something like this. Not knowing what to say, she settled for a vague, "Maybe."

"Do you think that I look like him?"

The image of her dream Sesshoumaru flashed across her mind before she could stop it. "Probably."

Sachimaru's brows furrowed thoughtfully. "Hmm…" When he glanced back up at her, his eyes were filled with anxiety. "Okaa-san, if my father finds me, do you think he'll take me away from you?"

Kagome's breath lodged in her throat as a feeling of panic rose at that thought. Forcing herself to breathe, she leaned down and gathered Sachimaru into her arms. "I hope not," she whispered into his silver hair. She would do her best to prevent such a thing from happening.

"Promise?" Sachimaru mumbled into her shoulders.

Kagome blinked back the prickling feeling in her eyes. "Promise."

It seemed to satisfy Sachimaru, for he immediately relaxed and fell asleep. He was obviously tired, since he did not even ask for a story. Smiling at the sleeping boy, Kagome tucked the covers up to his chin and left the room.

It was only when she reached her own bed that she allowed her doubts to resurface.

No one had come forward the one year Sachimaru's face had been displayed on magazines and newspapers. So there was no reason to think that his parents would suddenly do such a thing now, right?

Sachimaru's question about his father brought Sesshoumaru's face to mind and Kagome gave herself a mental shake. Of all things to think about, she scolded herself. Sesshoumaru was just a figment of her imagination, one that she conjured up based on Sachimaru looks. He was not real.

As she prepared herself for bed, Kagome wondered idly if she would dream of him again. Turning off the light, she sank down in her bed and closed her eyes.

* * *

A/N: So, I hope you've enjoyed this long chapter. As always, I would appreciate it greatly if you could drop me a review. Thanks! 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: As always, thanks for reading and reviewing the previous chapter. By the way, I've done a little sketch of the scene where Sesshoumaru saw Kagome and Sachimaru recently – it is in elle6778. deviantart. com. if you want to have a look at it. Anyway, here's another long chapter and I hope that you'll enjoy it.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 6**

Kagome groaned deeply as she opened her eyes, blinking into the glare of the bright morning sun filtering through the thin washi paper. The soft futon beneath her shifted as she sat up to look groggily around her empty room. She felt strange and there was a weird coppery taste in her mouth. What did she do?

Then it came back to her in a rush.

Gasping, her eyes shot wide open. She had gone to Sesshoumaru's room and fighting with him. And then he had her pinned to the wall. Kagome instantly fumed at the recollection. He even had the nerve to ask her to stop struggling. He had to be mad if he thought that she would give in so easily. After all, he was the one who had insulted her in the first place. Not being able to use her arms or her legs, she had used the only weapon she had at that time and bit him.

That must be what the coppery taste in her mouth was. His blood, she thought with a grimace. Then she cringed when she remembered how he had licked her blood of the corner of his lips. It was …gross.

But it was not worse than her biting him. She could still remember thinking how odd it was when she had felt something jolt through her when her mouth filled with his blood. Sesshoumaru must have tried to use his powers to push her away. It must have worked, because she did not remember anything else beyond that. That damned demon had knocked her out.

Glancing outside, she realized something else. The entire thing had happened in the morning after she had woken up. It was now dawn again. She must have slept the entire day. It was either she had exerted too much power in fighting him or that Sesshoumaru's attack was more than what she could handle. She supposed that it was not surprising, considering what Akiyama had told her about Sesshoumaru's reputation.

Getting up, she quickly dressed. Katsuo must be wondering what happened to her.

A tap on the screen told her that it was time for breakfast.

"Come in," she called out.

Natsumi entered bearing a breakfast tray. "Are you alright?" she asked, sounding concerned. But there was an odd twinkle of delight in her eyes.

Kagome nodded as she sat down in front of the low table. "Yeah. Did I sleep the entire day yesterday?"

"Yes. Lord Sesshoumaru told us to leave you to rest."

Rolling her eyes, Kagome remarked, "That's very considerate of him. Considering that it's all his fault in the first place."

Natsumi giggled as she offered her a bowl of soup. "It's normal to rest after such a strenuous thing."

_Strenuous?_ She supposed so, Kagome thought absently as she sipped her soup. But why was Natsumi so cheerful this morning? For the last one week, she had seemed so agitated and upset. Or perhaps after what had happened yesterday, Sesshoumaru had cleared up the rumor. Yes. That would explain it.

Giving the other girl a smile when she finished her breakfast, Kagome stood up. "I'll be heading to the dojo now. I think Katsuo might be mad at me for missing training yesterday."

"Katsuo will understand, My Lady."

Kagome blinked. "Did you just call me-"

Natsumi instantly looked contrite. "If you prefer me not to do so…"

A small laugh escaped Kagome's lips. "Just call me Kagome. Anything else sounds weird."

Nodding, Natsumi bowed to her and left.

Brushing away the girl's odd behavior, Kagome finished her breakfast and dressed for the day. And then, exiting the room, she made her way down the familiar route to the dojo. The guards she passed nodded to her.

"My Lady," they greeted in unison.

Kagome frowned inwardly as she continued to walk across the bridge leading to the secondary living compound where the dojo was situated. What was going on today? Did Sesshoumaru tell them to address her differently? She decided that she must have a word with him about it. Being called 'my lady' felt somewhat unnerving.

Katsuo was already there, just finishing on his own practice when she walked into the dojo. The look her gave her was one of surprise.

"You're here," he exclaimed.

She rolled her eyes. "What? Did you think I was going to sleep through another day? One day is enough, thank you."

He grinned. "I was mistaken then." Picking up his katana, he said, "Shall we begin?"

Kagome returned his grin and nodded. Holding his katana in front of him, Katsuo began to circle her warily. She remembered that at the beginning, Katsuo had almost looked bored when they fought. But in the past week or so, he had upped his defenses visibly.

His first attack was a downward slash of his katana. She lifted her hands and blocked it with a blast of miko energy. Streaking to her left, she released several orbs of energy at Katsuo, careful to limit the intensity. She did not want to accidentally hurt one of her few friends in the place. The fact that he was half human did not make a slightest bit of difference because they had concluded that her powers could also harm humans. The only good thing was that his mother was a miko, so at least he could take the hit without being purified or killed.

Pushing his katana forward, Katsuo used the blade to deflect the orbs. As they disintegrated in the air, Katsuo pointed his katana at her and released a series of thin silver things which looked like pins. Knowing that those things hurt like mad, Kagome grimaced and leapt to the side. From her position on the ground, she sent a blast of power at him.

Katsuo jumped in the air, completely avoiding her attack. He returned with a graceful swipe of his katana.

Kagome twisted away, but she was not fast enough. The blade sliced through her sleeve and she immediately felt a sharp pain in the fleshy part of her arm. A muffled curse escaped her lips as she clutched her bleeding arm.

Katsuo was beside her in a second, looking contrite. "Kagome, I'm sorry…I didn't-"

"Shh! It's fine. This is not like the first time I got hurt during training," she tried to reassure him. But still, the sheer amount of blood which was dripping down on the dojo mat worried her somewhat.

Without a word, Katsuo dashed to the shelf at the end of the dojo and then returned with some clean bandages and a bamboo canister. Kneeling beside her, he pushed her sleeve up and began to treat her wound, his expression grim.

"I should have been more careful," he muttered.

Kagome winced as he dabbed the herbal mixture from the bamboo canister onto her wound. Shaking her head, she assured him, "You didn't do anything wrong, Katsuo. We were fighting, so it's not like we can avoid getting a few scratches." Then she pointed at his face. "Look at your own face. It's full of scratches."

Frowning as he bandaged her arm, Katsuo said, "That's different. I heal fast."

"I wish I could do that," Kagome sighed as she watched the scratches on his face sealing themselves.

Shaking his head, Katsuo pointed out, "You're human. The only reason I could do it is because of my youkai blood. My father was quite powerful."

Kagome frowned. "You said your mother was a miko. How did she end up with a demon? I thought you said demons and mikos are enemies?" she asked curiously.

Katsuo averted his gaze. "It's a long story," he said tightly.

Her curiosity overriding her good sense, Kagome pressed, "I've got time."

He gave her an uncomfortable look and then sighed. "My mother was a senior miko. She was quite powerful. She trains fledgling mikos."

"Oh. That explains why you're so good at this," Kagome proclaimed.

Katsuo smiled. "Yes. I grew up watching her train those mikos. Some are weak and some are strong. You're definitely one of the stronger ones."

Sensing that Katsuo was trying to divert her attention away from her original question, she prompted, "So how did she meet your father?"

His lips tightened as his eyes took on a faraway look. "I heard the story countless times from my mother." Then he turned to look at her. "But it's not a pleasant one."

Kagome's eyes widened. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? "Why?"

"My father was one of the Western Land's warriors. My mother saw him for the first time when she and some other priests and priestesses gathered to launch an attack on the palace when the lord was away on a trip."

She gasped. "But why did they choose to attack the palace?"

Katsuo shrugged. "I don't know. But I suspect it's just the usual hatred towards demons. And the palace was full of demons."

"What happened then?"

"They stormed the palace, but they did not count on the skills of the warriors. Although many was purified, my father was strong enough to survive and as a form of retaliation, he captured her."

Kagome's eyes bulged. "She was taken against her will?" she whispered.

A bitter smile crossed Katsuo's lips. "Yes. He had his way with her for a while and I was conceived. Satisfied that he got his revenge, he released her. But she never forgave him for destroying her. You know what the strange thing is?"

"What?"

"I don't think she's 'destroyed' at all. I remember my mother as I was growing up. Her strength was great, not only in her powers but also in her mind. She was never broken even after what she had gone through. She never stopped reminding me what a bastard my father was. But she carried on with her life, training those young apprentices like nothing had happened." He averted his gaze. His voice was quiet when he added, "Teaching them to hate demons even when her own son is a half-demon."

"Did your mother and father ever met again?"

Katsuo let out a bark of laughter. "Yes, they did. The moment my mother was sure that I could fend for myself, she hunted him down. I still remember the day she left. I was about fifteen years old in human years at that time. She was gone for a very long time."

Knowing that demons and half demons retain their youthful appearance for much longer than humans, Kagome surmised that this must have occurred a long time ago.

"When she finally came home a year later, she told me that he's dead. I didn't feel anything because I never knew who he was. But then she began to change. She kept staring into space. It was almost like she was in a world of her own." He blinked slowly. "She was bitter when she died. And I couldn't do anything to help her."

Kagome began to understand. "Your mother loved your father."

Katsuo nodded. "Yes. But she refused to see it. And I suspect that my father felt the same. Why else would he let her live, especially with a taint of a hanyou son?" he said bitterly.

Kagome's eyes softened as his pained expression. She stepped closer to her and wrapped her arms around him, ignoring the way he tensed at her touch. "Being hanyou is not a taint. You're one of the strongest, nicest person I've ever met, Katsuo," she told him.

His smile was bitter. "I know my mother loved me. It is my father that she felt bitter towards. I still remember the last thing she said before she passed on. She said that nothing good could have come out of the situation between a demon and a miko. After all, both were on opposite side of things."

She shook her head firmly. "What happened to your parents was a terrible thing. A lost love. But something good happened out of it; you're here."

Glancing down at her with his blue eyes, Katsuo smiled. "Thanks. I needed that. Talking about it makes it seem less painful."

Kagome grinned up at him. The hug felt nice to her too. After all, she sorely lacked human contact. "Yeah, talking normally helps."

The dojo door suddenly burst open with a loud bang.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was incensed. No, not incensed. Furious.

The feeling had been slight to begin with. Then it had nudged at him insistently, forcing him to seek out what was bothering him. It was then that the mating mark had flared, piercing him with some unknown feeling. Unable to fight the urge, he had rushed across the distance which separated him from the dojo. His senses had pulled him halfway to the dojo before the cause of his uncharacteristic rush became apparent to him.

It was due to the connection forged between him and the miko when she had accidentally marked him. If she was in any danger, he could be alerted to it through their mating bond, even though it was incomplete.

The view that greeted his eyes threw him into silence. He did not know how to respond. His instincts told him to yank the miko forcefully out of his general's arms. But his mind told him that he could not care less if the miko decided to rut with Katsuo.

Forcing his expression to display nothing of what he felt, he watched silently as Katsuo leapt away from the miko. His general's eyes betrayed his trepidation, but Sesshoumaru did not feel the need to reassure the hanyou. Katsuo should learn to distance himself from the miko, after all.

Then Sesshoumaru's nose flared. The scent of blood from the miko's wound disturbed him greatly, forcing him to glance at her bandaged arm. To his consternation, he felt the almost overwhelming urge to soothe it for her. She had been injured many times before, and he had never felt such a need to do so. It seemed that although it was incomplete, the mating bond's effect was strong.

At the moment, his 'mate' was studying him, her expression belying her puzzlement.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Katsuo greeted shakily.

The miko flicked a confused glance at the hanyou. "Katsuo?" she ventured tentatively, but the general kept his eyes on him. Shifting her attention, she asked, "What's going on, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at her. Not able to suppress his instincts further, he grudgingly allowed his eyes to run over her person to ascertain that she was not harmed other than that one wound.

The miko immediately bristled in response to his perusal. "What are you doing? Inspecting your property? You really had to get it into your thick skull that I'm not yours," she snapped.

Katsuo sucked in a sharp breath, the expression on his face could only be described as horrified.

Clenching his fists, Sesshoumaru decided that it would be wiser if he did not respond to her insolent words. No doubt Katsuo was already wondering about the entire incident, considering that his servants and guards would have detected that he and the miko was mated. Did the miko not realize after what had happened, she effectively belonged to him in more ways than before?

The silence dragged on for a while more before Sesshoumaru directed his words to Katsuo. "Is the training progressing well, Katsuo?"

Katsuo nodded stiffly. "The lady's attacks are powerful. I've found it necessary to fight harder. But I was careless. If the lady was not holding back on my account, perhaps she could have avoided my attack.

The miko gasped as she stared at Katsuo. "I didn't know that you noticed."

Katsuo gave her an awkward bow. "You did not wish to embarrass me."

The miko shuffled uneasily.

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened in irritation as he felt the urge to separate them. His mating instincts were telling him that this male was far too familiar with his mate and that such a thing was not acceptable. His mind, however, was telling him that it was not unexpected, considering the time they had spent together. However, he knew that his agitation would continue until he appeased his instincts. Considering the nature of her training, contact between his general and the miko would be frequent. And each time it happened, it would drive his instincts into a frenzy.

Sesshoumaru turned to his general and remarked blandly, "Perhaps it is time for you to return to your regular duties, then."

Katsuo simply stared at him. Then he brightened visibly. "Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Hn."

"May I be excused, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru nodded.

As Katsuo rushed past him, he turned back to flash the miko a cheerful smile. Sesshoumaru ground his teeth together at the rise of his annoyance. Once Katsuo had left the dojo, the miko turned to him with a questioning look.

When he continued to stare at her wordlessly, she shrugged and said, "Well. I guess that's the end of my training, right?"

It was then that Sesshoumaru realized that the miko still need to be trained. Reluctantly, he surmised that there was only one thing he could do. She would be trained by him and no one else.

"You're incorrect," he intoned.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"From now on, you will be trained by this Sesshoumaru."

At his proclamation, she backed away from him, her eyes almost wild.

"No, no, no…You can't be serious," she hissed.

Quirking an eyebrow, Sesshoumaru simply stared at her.

The half-formed mating bond was calling to him again, reminding him again of his fury of at the entire situation. Now, standing face to face with her, he felt the pressing inclination to subdue her and complete the mating by sinking his fang into her neck and throwing her down on the dojo mat for a rutting session. Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth. No, he would not give in to the urge. To return the mark and then to copulate with her would mean that it was irreversible and he would be bonded to her for the rest of his life. It was bad enough that the bond affected him so strongly.

He had to find a way to remove the mark currently hidden beneath his kimono and rectify the outrageous situation. He needed the miko for her powers, not as a mate. It did not help that the rest of the demons in the palace had sensed the bond and now assumed that they were mates. He had heard them calling the miko their lady more than once that morning.

"The last few times we fought ended in disaster," she continued wryly. "And anyway, do I really need more training?"

"Yes. Especially now."

Even with their half-completed mating, his enemies, particularly those of a demon origin, would seek to weaken him through her. Even though he did not care if she was killed, he did not know if it would affect him adversely and he was not prepared to take the risk. Not for the first time since he had set his eyes on the miko, Sesshoumaru wished that Kouga had not presented him with such a troublesome gift.

"What do you mean, especially now? What has changed?" she asked curiously.

Sesshoumaru stiffened. Could it be possible that she was completely unaware of the mating mark she had placed on him? With her lack of knowledge about demons, it was hardly surprising. But surely someone must have told her something. The handmaid he had assigned to the miko, the one called Natsumi, would have surely said something. However, her response made it obvious that she was unaware of their current situation. If she knew, Sesshoumaru had no doubt that he would hear of it by now. The miko was not one who held silence in great regard.

Perhaps it would be better this way. If she was not aware of it, it would make things easier for him when he found a way to remove the mark. His father and mother had successfully done so with a fully formed mating mark, therefore it should not be impossible for him to dissolve an incomplete one.

"Are you going to stand there the whole day without answering me?" she asked, her impatience evident in her tone.

Suppressing his irritation, he bit out, "Many would seek to use your powers for themselves. You need to be prepared to defend yourself."

"Oh," she exclaimed, her eyes rounding in comprehension. "I guess that makes sense."

"Indeed."

She frowned. "So, you're going to train me now or what?"

Sesshoumaru thought of the pile of scrolls in his study and shook his head. "This Sesshoumaru needs to tend to matters pertaining to this land." Then, realizing that she had nothing to do and would no doubt attempt to plan another escape, he decided that he should keep her under his careful eyes. "You will accompany this Sesshoumaru."

She gaped at him, but before she could protest, he swung around and walked out of the dojo.

* * *

Kagome tapped her fingers against the wooden platform she was currently sitting on. Staring into the beautiful courtyard, she stifled another yawn. She had been sitting in the same spot, on the wooden platform just outside Sesshoumaru's study for what seemed like hours now with nothing to do. And Sesshoumaru had not moved a muscle apart from when he was turning a scroll over.

Irritated, Kagome stood up and stalked into the room, stopping right in front of Sesshoumaru. She waited for him to notice her. He did not even bother to look up.

Her lips thinning, she glared at him.

Still, there was no response from the demon.

"Look, Sesshoumaru. If you don't need me here for anything, can you just let me leave?" she asked impatiently. "I can go watch the warriors train or something."

He paused and then lowered his scroll. His golden eyes came up to meet hers. Not for the first time, she realized how good he looked. It was a shame that his personality did not match up.

"You will remain here until this Sesshoumaru says otherwise."

Knowing that it was childish but unable to stop herself, she stomped her foot. "You're being unreasonable. At least give me something to do if you want to keep me here."

He quirked an eyebrow. "You possess no skills other than those of a miko. How do you propose to aid this Sesshoumaru?" He gestured at the scrolls and went on to say, "If you could read, this Sesshoumaru would have given you these scrolls."

Planting her hands on her hips, she proceeded to rectify his assumption. "What makes you think I can't read? I've been able to read since I was seven!"

Surprise flashed across his features. And then he narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

Kagome rolled her eyes, suddenly reminded of what era it was. "I assure you I can read, Sesshoumaru," she said flatly.

He gave her a speculative look before he nodded. "Very well." Picking up a stack of rolled scrolls, he continued, "You will read through these and inform this Sesshoumaru of the important facts."

With that, he dropped it in front of her carelessly. Glancing curiously at the scrolls, she lowered herself and sat down on the floor. A quick scan through one of them told her that although it was written in an older form of Japanese kanji, she could still understand it.

Glad for something to do, she began to read through the scrolls. It was mainly complaints and requests for an audience with Sesshoumaru. As she went through them, she began to sort them into separate piles. One pile for those she thought would need his immediate attention, next pile for the ones which could wait and the final pile for those which did not really need any action on his part.

So absorbed she was in her task that she did not notice that he was standing over her until she saw his feet not far from one of the piles.

"You spoke the truth." He sounded surprised.

Annoyed at his stab at her honesty, she jumped to her feet. "What did you think? That I will lie about being able to read?"

"Hn."

She frowned at him. "Don't you trust others just a little bit?"

"No."

Rolling her eyes, she simply ignored him and continued with her task. If nothing else, at least it would kill time until she figured out how to escape again. Preferably without getting Katsuo or Natsumi into trouble.

* * *

Hopping off the bus, Kagome reached around into her backpack and pulled out a stack of letters. The dream she had last night was still playing in her mind, but by now, she was used to it.

Of course she could read, Kagome thought irritably as she dropped the job application letters into the postbox near the office. Why on earth did she even bother dreaming up someone who was so arrogant and chauvinistic? Granted, her dream was set in the Feudal Era, but still, she could have picked a more pleasant personality.

She frowned suddenly. Come to think of it, how on earth did she know so much about the Feudal Era? History had never been a subject she had been too fond of. Perhaps it was all from Jii-chan's fairy-tales. Yes, that must be it.

Shrugging off her thoughts, Kagome went through the entrance to the tall building and swiped her card at the security checkpoint. When the glass door slid open, she stepped in and proceeded to the reception area, smiling widely at the security guard, Isamu.

"Good morning," Kagome greeted as she dropped her bag behind the reception desk.

The security guard looked up with a smile. "A good morning to you too. Did you enjoy your weekend?"

Face brightening, she exclaimed, "Oh, the Demon Carnival was great! I was so happy that Yura gave me the tickets. Did you go?"

Isamu nodded. "Yes, but I guess we missed each other in the crowd."

"Oh, that must be it. The show was amazing. I can't believe some of the effects."

Isamu snorted. "It was okay. I've seen better fights."

Her eyes bulged. "How's that even possible?"

Grinning, Isamu shrugged. "It just is."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Kagome returned his grin and then settled herself behind the desk for the day. She fixed the headset in place before checking to see if there were any messages on the system which needed her attention. One by one, the employees of IY Media and Entertainment began to file in. As each of them walked in, Kagome called out a cheerful greeting.

Until _he_ strode in.

Kagome's jaw went slack as her eyes landed on the man she had never seen before.

Silver hair.

Golden eyes.

Then something jolted through her. He seemed somewhat familiar. It must be his silver hair and golden eyes. What if he was related to Sachimaru? She suddenly felt cold. Her gaze went to his ears. It was normal, not pointed, but that did not tell her anything.

When their eyes clashed, she realized that he was as shocked as she was. "It's impossible," he whispered, stopping right in front of her, with only the reception desk separating them.

Kagome blinked. Yes, she was shocked that he shared the same eyes and hair with Sachimaru, but why was he reacting that way? Cautiously, she ventured, "What is impossible?"

"You look like her," the silver-haired man mumbled, staring at her for a long while before he finally regained his composure.

Frowning in confusion, Kagome asked, "Like who?"

"Never mind," he brushed off carelessly. Then an odd light entered his eyes. "What's your name?"

Before she could answer, a shrill female voice interjected, "Inuyasha! Stop hitting on the temp!"

Kagome turned around to find Yura striding out into the reception, looking feminine and professional at the same time in pin-striped jacket and a matching miniskirt. Yura rested her hands on her hips, glaring at Inuyasha.

"Keh! Who said I'm hitting on her?"

Yura rolled her eyes. "Stop kidding yourself, Inuyasha. You hit on anything so long as it's female," she pointed out as she yanked the sputtering man away from the reception. "Come on. You need to sort out the mess Hiten left in the office."

Kagome's brow rose as Inuyasha followed Yura down the corridor, muttering something about dreams. So, this was the infamous Inuyasha those secretaries had been giggling about. She supposed she could understand the reason behind it. After all, he was rather cute.

Kagome frowned thoughtfully. Yura said Inuyasha hit on every female he set his eyes on. Could it be that Sachimaru was the result of one of his flings? Her lips tightened. She would not say anything to him. After all, if he was as irresponsible as he seemed with women, he would not want to know about Sachimaru anyway.

It was a good thing that this was her last day at IY Media and Entertainment. This way, she would be nowhere near him. This way, Inuyasha would never find out _if_ Sachimaru was really the result of one of his flings.

* * *

Sesshoumaru tapped his fingers impatiently on his desk as he awaited the information he had requested earlier. His instructions had earned him a curious look from Natsumi, but she had wisely refrained from asking further questions. After centuries of being in his service, the female certainly knew him well enough to avoid unnecessary confrontation.

Not knowing what to think about the female and the pup he had seen in the carnival, for the conclusions ha had arrived at had seemed impossible, Sesshoumaru had decided that it was prudent to refrain from making any judgment until he possessed all the facts. Wild speculations would only waste his valuable time.

At the sound of a knock on the door, Sesshoumaru looked up. "Enter," he called out.

The door opened and he felt a pang of something which resembled disappointment when Shin appeared instead of Natsumi.

"Mr. Taishou," the inuyoukai greeted with a bow.

Sesshoumaru ran his eyes over the inuyoukai. It seemed that Shin had fully recovered from the effects of the poison. "Shin."

"Forgive me for my failure," the inuyoukai said, his head still bowed. "It will not happen again."

Sesshoumaru regarded him steadily. Shin must be referring to the poison incident in his last assignment. The inuyoukai had worked his way up from a lowly guard until he was made a general in the ranks four centuries ago. It would not do to chastise him for something that was not his doing.

"You're not at fault. The poison is not of human origin."

Shin's head snapped up, his eyes suddenly flashing in fury. "It's demonic?" he hissed.

"Hn."

"I will hunt the one responsible down," Shin swore harshly.

Sesshoumaru hardened his expression. "You will do nothing but increase your vigilance. The rest had been informed to do likewise and will continue to do so until the identity of the perpetrator is confirmed."

Shin stiffened slightly before he nodded.

It worried Sesshoumaru that after the incident with Shin, two other similar cases had occurred in other jobs. He was beginning to wonder if another demon was attempting to weaken him by ruining the reputation of his company. His lips immediately curled in disdain. If they had the audacity to do such a thing, then they would suffer the consequences when he finally discovered their identity. For he was certain that he would. It was simply a matter of time.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?"

He glanced sharply at his old general, who had the grace to look embarrassed. All of them had been told not to address him by his old title.

"I apologize," Shin said. "Mr. Taishou."

"Hn."

"But do you think Akiyama is involved in this?"

"Perhaps," he replied noncommittally. Until he was certain, he would say nothing. But although Akiyama was sneaky, Sesshoumaru doubted that the elemental would do such a thing.

Bowing again, Shin said, "I would like to return to work."

"Hn." Then with a nod, Sesshoumaru said, "You will speak to Katsuo. He will brief you on your next task."

With that, Shin left the office. Soon after, a soft knock sounded on the door.

"Enter."

Natsumi walked in, bearing a handful of printed paper. "Mr. Taishou, here are the guest lists you requested," Natsumi said as she placed a few sheets of paper on his desk.

He glanced at the paper briefly. "Everyone's names are here?"

Natsumi nodded. "They are all employees of the companies under the Taishou Holdings umbrella. And their guests."

"Hn."

Bowing slightly, Natsumi left his office. Sesshoumaru's lips quirked. He had managed to get Natsumi to stop calling him by his old title, but he had not succeeded in getting any of his old servants and guards to stop bowing to him.

Turning his attention to the lists, he began to scan the names. Most of them were familiar to him for they were demons, demonesses and hanyou in the Third Rotation. There were also some from the Second Rotation who had not been transferred away yet.

But there were also a number of unfamiliar names. He paused when he reached a name which was familiar to his dream self.

Kagome.

Was this yet another coincidence? Somehow, he doubted it. Sesshoumaru immediately turned to his laptop. A few clicks later, he gained access to the secure database which stored the information on all the employees in Taishou Holdings. He keyed in the name and waited.

The search returned no results. Frowning, he glanced down at the name again.

Higurashi Kagome.

She was not in the personnel database. Perhaps she was a temp from one of the agencies. Or perhaps the female and the pup were guests of one of his employees. In which case, it would make his search a little more difficult.

He still could not believe her resemblance to the miko. How was that even possible? Perhaps he had seen her somewhere and his mind had decided to introduce her into his dreams? He frowned at the idea, instantly dismissing it. No. His memory was far superior compared to most beings and he would certainly remember her scent if he had set eyes on her before.

Idly, he wondered if this Higurashi Kagome was anything like the miko of his dreams. The one he had last night was still fresh in his mind, as if the events had taken place just yesterday.

* * *

Sesshoumaru watched impassively as the miko fidgeted nervously in front of him. This was the first day she would be trained by him. His lips tightened slightly at the notion that he, Sesshoumaru, had lowered himself to train a human miko. However, it could not be avoided. With battle training, her control would improve. It needed to be honed until she was capable of releasing Inuyasha from his seal.

It was particularly important now that Myoga had revealed that a great katana forged from Inu-no-Taishou's fang had been left for the hanyou. It was said that the katana, Tetsusaiga, possessed the power to destroy a hundred demon with a single blast.

And Sesshoumaru had every intention of possessing Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha did not deserve such a gift, especially considering how he had dishonored their blood by allowing himself to be sealed in such a disgraceful manner.

However, the exact location of the fang was unknown.

The right black pearl. The grave can see but cannot be seen.

Those were the only directions he possessed. Its vagueness were characteristic of Inu-no-Taishou's penchant for such riddles, Sesshoumaru thought with no small amount of irritation. However, since their father had chosen to bestow the fang to Inuyasha, it was likely that Inuyasha would know the location where it was hidden.

"Sesshoumaru?"

Her voice stirred him from his musings. Deciding that he should concentrate on training her, Sesshoumaru gestured at the rack holding several blades at the end of the dojo. "You will show this Sesshoumaru the extent of your skills."

The miko sighed as she went to retrieve a katana. "This is not going to end well," she muttered.

Sesshoumaru's lips quirked involuntarily. He supposed their previous encounters had been far from successful. When she returned, he eyed her stance critically. Had Katsuo been negligent in instructing her?

"Miko. You will hold yourself in the proper stance."

He saw her eyes twitch before her legs shifted into the perfect position. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. So Katsuo had trained her correctly after all. Was she attempting to irk him deliberately? The insolent wench…

She raised a brow at him. "Better?"

"It is acceptable."

She rolled her eyes in response.

Suppressing the urge to shake her, he instructed evenly, "You will attack."

Wearing a look of concentration, the miko bit her lips as she raised the blade. It immediately glowed with the pure power of a miko. Flicking a quick glance at him, she charged. Her eyes had given away her intentions long before she reached him, Sesshoumaru thought as he simply stepped to the side to avoid her attack. Obviously irritated, the mike spun around and swung the glowing blade at him again, this time missing by a large margin.

Directing a disapproving look at her, Sesshoumaru gritted out, "You will look at your target before swinging your blade."

"I'm looking, alright?!" she snapped as she attempted to stab him again. "What do you think I'm doing?"

"Your aim is deplorable," he said dryly as the blade missed him without him even moving at all.

"Well, I kind of expected you to move instead of standing still!" she retorted heatedly as she swung the blade at him again, and this time, sparks flew off the metal.

"Thus proving the inadequacy of your attacks," he pointed out.

As he streaked to the side, Sesshoumaru noted with interest that her blade was now glowing brighter, although rather unsteadily. Perhaps her powers came from her emotions. It would make sense considering her heightened energy the last two time they had fought.

Unfortunately, that very thought brought back the memory of her raw power washing over his person, eliciting an unwanted flash of arousal in him. To his dismay, the mating bond added to his discomfort by urging him to close the distance between him and the miko. To pull her head back so that her neck was bared to his fangs. To run his hands over her soft curves, bringing forth her moans of pleasure. To tear off her training hakama and take her innocence to complete their bond.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, inhaling deeply to calm him self. It would not do to desire the miko in such a manner, even when his reaction was caused by their incomplete mating bond. A small voice nudged at the back of his mind, reminding him that he already possessed such desire for her even before the regrettable marking.

Already annoyed at his wayward reaction, when he noticed her eyes flicking to his right side, Sesshoumaru bit out in a harsher tone than he had intended, "Your eyes are betraying your intentions, Miko. Hide it!"

Stopping, the miko planted one hand on her hips while she pointed the blade at him. "How do you expect me to look at where I'm hitting without moving my eyes?" she exclaimed incredulously.

Sesshoumaru felt his jaw twitch. He suddenly felt a newfound respect for Katsuo's patience. If this was what his general had to suffer through each day for the past few weeks, perhaps it was time to reward the hanyou.

"It can be done." His voice was dry.

"Easy for someone as cold and emotionless as you!"

"It simply requires practice," he bit out, ignoring her words.

Grumbling under her breath, she charged straight at him. Why did she think that this would work when it had not done so the first time? However, as he stepped to the side, the miko swung abruptly to the opposite direction. At her unexpected move, Sesshoumaru spun away, only narrowly avoiding her blade.

"Hah! I almost got you!" she declared smugly.

"Still, you failed to make contact," he pointed out flatly. He was somewhat surprised at her move. However, she seemed to have grasped the lesson. Perhaps it was time to increase the pace. "Again," he intoned.

Brows furrowing in concentration, the miko feigned to the left before she came at him from the left. He jumped out of the path of the glowing katana before retaliating with his whip. The end of the golden whip made contact with the miko's leg, throwing her to the ground.

"HEY! I thought I was attacking?!" she exclaimed indignantly as she pushed herself to her feet. Wincing, she rubbed her thigh.

"Do you expect you opponent to simply wait while you attack?" he retorted impatiently. His instinct was urging him to go to her, to soothe her wound. Suppressing the urge to do so, Sesshoumaru simply flicked his whip at her again. "Move, Miko," he ordered curtly.

She glared at him.

He could not help but smirk as he watched her aura flare at his instruction. It occurred to him that once her training was complete, he could utilize her as a regular sparring partner. After all, what better way to hone his own skills than to fight regularly with a powerful miko? Her temper would simply make it more amusing for him.

Knowing that it would annoy her further, he flicked his whip again.

"That's it!" she exploded.

Dropping the katana, she flung her hands out at him. A beam of pearlescent light immediately shot out at him, her emotions giving it additional strength. Now that he was more familiar with her attacks, he simply shot up in the air, avoiding the blast. He immediately swung downwards, extending his claws in preparation to release his poison. When his hands began to glow green, the miko's eyes widened in alarm.

With an ear-piercing shriek, she flung herself to the side just as his poison hit the training mat. The floor instantly sizzled, the poison eating away at the mat. The miko pinned her eyes to the hole in the floor, aghast.

"Y-You…You could have killed me!" she yelled incredulously as she jumped to her feet.

"Perhaps."

"Why you…" she growled.

And then she charged at him.

As they continued to fight, Sesshoumaru suddenly realized that despite his initial misgivings, this training session was turning out to be tolerable. Although the level of the miko's skills were far inferior compared to his, she made up for it in her determination. It had been too long since he had indulged in such sparring sessions.

Sesshoumaru allowed a smirk to cross his face.

And he shall indulge.

* * *

One week had passed since he had begun to train the miko. After the initial strain, the sessions had grown to be almost pleasant. Sesshoumaru snuck a glance at the miko seated at a new table at the end of his study. They had fallen into an odd, but regular routine of training in the morning and working in his study in the afternoons. He had been surprised that he had found her presence tolerable. What surprised him even more was the fact that in the one week she had been present in his study, his workload had eased by a considerable amount.

It was highly unexpected.

With her assistance with other tasks, he had been able to commence the search for a way to break the half-formed mating bond between them. Unfortunately, his attempts had met with no success. The bond was affecting him more as time passed and the longer she remained in his presence. His ire rose at the indignity of the entire situation.

"There's a report here that you might want to look at. I don't really understand what it's talking about," she muttered as she placed a scroll in one of the three piles beside her. She had taken the time to separate the urgent ones, from the less urgent ones and the ones he did not need to read.

"What does it contain?" he asked, noting that the scroll had been placed in the pile containing urgent matters.

"Demon slayers in the human settlements." Then she frowned. "Do demon slayers really kill demons or it's just a name?"

Sesshoumaru quirked his brow. Was the miko truly that ignorant? Or perhaps she was simply innocent of the knowledge of such things. "The demon slayers, as their name implies, kill demons."

Her eyes shot up towards his. "Is that what they're planning to do here?" she asked worriedly.

Was the miko actually concerned about the fate of the demons in the castle? How curious, he thought. Walking towards her, he bent down to retrieve the scroll. Annoyance coursed through him as he read the report from one of his scouts. Apparently, the demon slayers from the East had been hired by some village head to kill a low level demon who has been invading their village.

He was displeased by the interference of the demon slayers in his lands. The peace in the Western Lands was his responsibility. If the villages were being disturbed, he would ensure that the low level demons were dealt with.

"Shin," he called out.

When the inuyoukai guard stepped in, Sesshoumaru ordered, "Summon Jaken."

It did not take long before Jaken rushed in breathlessly. "Yes, My Lord?"

Dropping the scroll in front of his retainer, Sesshoumaru intoned, "Find out what is happening and settle the disturbances."

Jaken picked up the scroll and read through it before he turned a large pair of questioning eyes upwards. "What about the demon slayers?"

Sesshoumaru paused in his steps. Without looking over his shoulders, he said, "Kill them if they get in the way."

The miko gasped. "No! You can't go around killing humans."

Giving her a stony look, he bit out, "They are trespassing."

"So? Just ask them to leave."

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, he replied coldly, "Miko. This Sesshoumaru needs not your advice in protecting his lands."

Her hands planted on her hips, she glared at him. "But you could do with some advice on morals!"

He chose to ignore her. There was no benefit in continuing the debate, for the miko appeared to be siding with the humans. It was not unexpected, but 'mate' or not, he had no intention of tolerating the presence of outsiders in his territory. Especially dishonorable, weak humans.

"Hey, you're ignoring me?"

He flashed her an irritable look before settling down behind his low table with every intention of continuing with the search for the method to break their mating bond. Fortunately, the miko decided to refrain from saying anything further.

However, the peace did not last long.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He looked up, frowning when he suddenly realized that she no longer addressed him in the manner befitting his station. When had she stopped doing so? And why had he not noticed until now?

She waved a scroll in the air. "I have a strange one here."

He waited for her to elaborate, knowing that she would tell him no matter how he responded. The miko was certainly not one to hold her tongue.

Wearing a frown, she said, "Akiyama wishes to congratulate you on your recent mating. What's that all about?"

Sesshoumaru froze. The rumor had traveled so far in such a short time? His eyes narrowed. It was unacceptable.

"Nothing you should concern yourself with, Miko," he bit out.

He would have the partially completed mating procedure reversed before she realized the truth. If only his father had been a little more organized. There must be thousands of scrolls rolled up and stored in the shelves against the walls. But Sesshoumaru knew that he would find the answer in one of the scrolls. After all, his father and mother had successfully broken their mating bond.

And that was what he intended to do with the miko. There was no other option.

Other options…

Perhaps he should simply kill her, he thought with an inward frown. That would certainly be an option if he was not unsure of the consequences. Would he suffer death if he killed his mate? Even one he was bonded to by a half-completed mating? Could he even bring himself to do such a thing? He doubted the mating bond would allow him to do so.

She gave him a suspicious look. "So, are you mating someone or what?"

"No." He did not lie. He was not mating anyone. _SHE_ was the one who had the audacity to bind him to her. Even unknowingly.

"Mating is like a marriage, right? How could the Northern Lord get something like this so wrong?" she asked, obviously puzzled.

Sesshoumaru did not bother to reply. Instead, he willed the miko to stop asking those questions. Sooner or later, her curiosity would surely cease. Much to his consternation, she simply continued, unheeding his silence.

"Are you listening to me, Sesshoumaru?"

His grip tightened around the scroll, crumpling it into a useless mess. "Miko. You will cease your questions."

At that moment, a series of soft taps sounded against the screen. Sesshoumaru's sense told him that it was simply Natsumi. At his call to enter, the shoji slid open and the inuyoukai female stepped in.

"Lord Sesshoumaru." She looked nervous.

Raising a brow, Sesshoumaru waited for her to continue.

His inuyoukai servant took a deep breath before she continued, "The servants want to know if they should prepare for a formal mating ceremony."

Sesshoumaru stilled. Vaguely, he felt the miko doing the same at the other end of the room. He certainly had not foreseen this, though on hindsight, perhaps he should have done so. Natsumi's question posed a problem.

"Whose mating ceremony, Natsumi?" the miko interjected before he could say anything.

"Natsumi," Sesshoumaru cut in. "This will not be discussed now."

Blinking in bewilderment, Natsumi stammered, "But…"

"You are questioning this Sesshoumaru's orders?" he asked, injecting a hint of warning in his tone.

"Sesshoumaru! Stop threatening Natsumi! And anyway, I want to know just whose mating ceremony she's talking about," the miko admonished with a frown.

He gritted his teeth at her insolence. In front of a servant, no less. "Miko…"

"So tell me, Natsumi," the miko said in a gentler voice. "Whose mating ceremony?"

Closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru waited for the inevitable.

Natsumi's voice carried a hint of puzzlement when she said, "Why, Lord Sesshoumaru and yours, of course."

"WHAT?!" The miko's exclamation of disbelief echoed throughout the palace.

* * *

(t.b.c.)

A/N: Yup, Kagome finally found out, hehe! Hope you've enjoyed this chapter. As always, I hope that you'll review to let me know what you think of it.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Here it is…the next chapter of my fanfic. Thank you for reading and reviewing chapter 6. I hope that you'll enjoy this chapter.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 7**

She was livid.

For Kami's sakes, how did this happen? How did she end up being the stoic demon's intended mate? HOW? She swung around to face said demon, who face was currently displaying a disinterested mask. How could he just stand there and say nothing?

"Sesshoumaru…" she gritted out through clenched teeth. Words failed her. What could she say to him to stress just exactly how angry she was feeling at that very moment? What had she done to deserve this?

The demon lord simply continued to stare at her with that infuriatingly blank look. However, Natsumi obviously sensed that something was wrong. Eyes wide in her face, the girl began to inch backwards towards the shoji. "I shall…uh…return when it's more convenient," she declared unsteadily.

Kagome barely heard the door shut while she glared at Sesshoumaru. He would explain this.

"What did you do? What is this entire mating thing?" she asked angrily.

A muscle in his cheek twitched. "It means that you and this Sesshoumaru are mated," he said flatly.

She gritted her teeth. "I can understand that much! And from the sound of it, you already know this for some time. When are you going to tell me?"

Sesshoumaru's expression remained unchanged as he regarded her thoughtfully. He seemed to be having an internal debate of sorts. She glowered at him. At the moment, she felt like strangling the reticent demon.

"Sesshoumaru!!" she snapped, further infuriated by his silence.

Then Sesshoumaru's lips tightened and Kagome saw a flicker of fury in his eyes. "It was your own doing, Miko," he said coldly.

Kagome's eyes bulged. "What? How could that be possible? I don't remember agreeing or doing something like this!" she declared heatedly. "Well, you can call it off because I don't want to be mated to you!"

Sesshoumaru stiffened visibly. His expression turned harsh before he snapped, "Do not presume that this Sesshoumaru would desire one such as you for a mate."

Her lips parted at his uncharacteristic vehemence. If she had not known better, she would have thought that he looked… _offended_ at what she had just said. Surely he did not think that she was interested in him like that. Did he? She frowned, wondering if she had done something to give him that idea.

"Um…Sesshoumaru. Maybe this whole thing is just a misunderstanding," she ventured with a frown.

"There is no mistake. You marked this Sesshoumaru as a mate," he bit out in obvious disgust.

"Marked?" she echoed in confusion. What did he mean?

Wordlessly, Sesshoumaru swept towards her. Suppressing the urge to run away at the barely banked fury in his eyes, Kagome stood her ground. When he reached her, he stopped and reached up to yank the white silk of his kimono aside.

Kagome's lips parted at the sight of the reddish half-circle scar at the junction between his neck and his shoulders. She cringed inwardly when she remembered the time she had bitten him in anger and then passed out.

"With this mark, you mated this Sesshoumaru," he hissed, his eyes flashing.

"Oh." Her voice was weak. _That_ was all it took to mark a demon? How was she supposed to know something like that? So it _was_ her fault after all. Her anger fizzled out, leaving her with nothing but trepidation.

"Couldn't you have stopped it?" she asked in a small voice.

"That was not possible." His tone was flat.

"What does this mean?" she whispered.

"This means that as long as the mark is present, we are bonded."

"What do you mean we're bonded?"

His irritation clear, he explained impatiently, "The mating mark forges a spiritual bond between mates. A mate will know when the other is in distress or danger, and their general health. However, mates can never be separated for a prolonged amount of time without suffering pain."

Kagome gasped. That meant that she could not go home? How was she supposed to escape when there was something like this tying her down? Also, she did not want him as a mate. Heck, she did not want anyone as a mate. Fifteen years old was way too young for anyone to commit himself or herself to another person. Not to mention she did not even belong in this era.

"Can it be removed?" she asked as her desperation grew.

He closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them, the golden orbs were calm again. "This Sesshoumaru will find a reversal method. The mating is only half complete, which should simplify matters."

"What do you mean by half complete?"

Silence greeted her.

"Sesshoumaru?" she prompted impatiently. "Why is it so hard for you to just answer my questions?"

Directing a glare at her, he barked, "To complete the mating, this Sesshoumaru would have to mark you."

"That's all?" Then she made a face. "I suppose the biting is still quite disturbing."

"And rut with you," he added stonily, not bothering to conceal his expression of distaste.

Rut? As in have sex? Kagome immediately blanched. "Ugh, you can't be serious! That's disgusting!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered. "You dare insult this Sesshoumaru?"

"What? You actually like the thought of it?" she asked with growing incredulity.

His expression turned haughty. "This Sesshoumaru would not lower himself to rut with a human," he declared.

She rolled her eyes. "What a relief," she mocked. Then she sagged. "We've got to do something about it. There must be something we can do to reverse it."

"Hn."

"But how?" she asked, hoping that there was really some way to break the bond. Sesshoumaru was probably trying his best, seeing that he was just as distressed about this as much as she was. She could not imagine being stuck to him for the rest of her life.

He pointed to the wall full of rolled-up scrolls. "The answer will be in there."

"I'll help," she declared firmly. Then her brow furrowed and she muttered apologetically, "It's my fault anyway."

She saw an expression of surprise flash across his face before it returned to its usual blankness. And then, he graced her with a curt nod of agreement.

Still shocked over the entire revelation, she muttered, "I think I'll go outside for a walk. I need to think." Rubbing her forehead, she headed to the shoji screen. They would find a way to break this mating bond.

They had to.

Or else, how was she supposed to go home with this bond tying her to Sesshoumaru?

"Miko."

His voice halted her steps and she turned about with trepidation. Was there something else that he had forgotten to tell her? "What?" she whispered.

"You will give your word that you will not speak of this to anyone." His voice was tight, betraying his unease.

She blinked. Then she realized why he was demanding such a thing. "This is embarrassing for you, isn't it? Being marked by me like that kind of shows that you were not able to stop it," she ventured uncertainly. "Your reputation…" she trailed off, realizing how angry Sesshoumaru must have been when he understood what had happened. Knowing what she knew about him now, this must be the last thing he wished to happen.

He simply stared at her. It was obvious that he had no intention of confirming her suspicion. But his silence was enough of an answer.

"Sesshoumaru?" Even though she did not do it on purpose, she could not help but feel guilty about it. She took a deep breath before she declared, "I won't say a word about this to anyone."

"You will honor your word."

She forced out a smile. "Don't worry, Sesshoumaru. I promise you that I won't betray you like that."

"Hn."

With that, she left the study.

* * *

Kagome felt her lips twitch at flashes of the dream she had last night. She did not know that she had such wild imagination. Imagine her making a powerful demon her reluctant mate. The entire idea was so ridiculous that it seemed almost funny. Not that her dream self had found it funny.

She shrugged her yellow backpack, filled with food and drinks, into a more comfortable position. Now that she had stopped working, she could afford to lend her mother a helping hand with the household tasks.

Skipping up the steps to the shrine, she stopped by the wooden letterbox. The breeze threaded through her hair as she bent to retrieve the post, but she barely felt the whipping of her hair against her face as her eyes landed on a letter addressed to her. Her mouth went dry when she saw the small logo at the bottom corner of the envelope.

"Tsukuyo Medical," she whispered, her voice trembling in excitement. It was one of the best medical facilities around. Privately funded, it spared no expense when it came to treatments and researches. Granted, as a paramedic, she would not be seeing much of the inside of the facility. But still, if she worked hard enough, maybe they would allow her to progress further.

Wait. Maybe it was a rejection letter.

Her heart immediately sank.

Gingerly, she tore open the envelope and pulled out the thick paper. Her eyes scanned through the contents and elation began to bubble up within. Clutching the letter against her chest, she squealed in excitement as she dashed to her house. She could not believe that they had offered her an interview.

"Mom!" she yelled as she ran into the kitchen, skidding to a halt in front of her surprised mother who was stirring something in the pot.

"I got an interview with Tsukuyo Medical!" she exclaimed with an excited hop.

Her mother beamed. "Congratulations! That's great news." Then she clapped her hands together. "We should celebrate this."

Kagome laughed. "Maybe we should wait to see if I actually get the job before celebrating."

Her grandfather chose to make an appearance then. "She should be the shrine priestess instead of a paramedic," he grumbled under his breath.

Kagome instantly rolled her eyes. Her grandfather was convinced that they all descended from powerful lines of priest and priestesses. It was probably another thing which had been fueling her dreams. She was certainly no miko.

Then she looked around. "Where are Sachimaru and Souta?"

"Souta has gone out with his friends and Sachimaru is playing outside near the Goshinboku with his bokken." Raising a brow, her mother pointed to a miserable looking hole in the kitchen wall. "You know, Sachimaru is really strong for a six year old. It is a little worrying."

Kagome grinned. "Must be all the good food you feed him."

Her mother laughed. "Maybe that's it."

"The boy is a demon," her grandfather muttered, shaking his head. "His strength is unnatural."

Kagome expelled a long-suffering groan. "Jii-chan…" Then shaking her head, she grinned and went outside to find her son.

The sound of a triumphant yell reached her before she caught sight of the boy. Wielding his bokken, Sachimaru had an intense look of concentration on his face as he swung at bush near the Goshinboku. His stance was wrong, she thought absently as Sachimaru swayed unsteadily at the momentum of his swing.

She immediately frowned in confusion when she realized what she was thinking. Her dreams must be affecting her more than she thought if a dream training session had stuck in her head. But her mind kept insisting that Sachimaru's stance was wrong and he could end up being vulnerable when attacked by an opponent.

She groaned inwardly, hardly believing what she was about to do. Closing the distance between them, Kagome called out, "Sachimaru."

Grinning at her over his shoulders, Sachimaru gushed, "Okaa-san! Look at my attacks!"

Returning the grin, Kagome watched as he swung at the unfortunate bush again. Stepping closer, she called out, "Sachimaru, come here."

The boy ran the short distance which separated them, his face wreathed in a wide smile. Kneeling down, Kagome gave him a brief hug before she repositioned the bokken in his hold. Then she stood up and placed her feet in a stance which felt strangely familiar.

"Look at my legs, Sachimaru. This is how you should stand."

Sachimaru's eyes widened for a moment before he nodded. Emulating her stance perfectly, he held the bokken out in front of him. "Like this, Okaa-san?"

Smiling, Kagome nodded. "Perfect! Now when you swing, make sure that you twist your body with it, okay?"

Face scrunching up in concentration, Sachimaru attempted a swing. But it looked stiff and unnatural. Knowing what was wrong, she proceeded to correct him. It was bizarre how well she remembered the training from her dreams. Come to think of it, how did she know enough about fighting to dream about it?

Strange.

Shrugging it off, Kagome continued to 'train' her son.

* * *

It had taken Sesshoumaru less than one day to uncover the fact that Higurashi Kagome had indeed been temping at Inuyasha's company until two days ago. A copy of her file now resided on his desk, complete with the picture which confirmed her identity as the female he had seen at the carnival. Further investigations over the next day had revealed that she was currently searching for a permanent job as a paramedic.

It was then that an idea had occurred to him. He needed to find out more about her and her son without being too obvious. What could be better than having her as an employee in one of his subsidiary companies? That way, she would be more accessible to him.

He glanced out of his window, noting that the sky was already dark. However, he was certain that the person he intended to reach was still at work. Picking up the phone, he dialed a number from memory. When it was picked up, he did not waste any time on pleasantries.

"Shiori? I have a task for you."

"And how are you, Sesshoumaru?" a female voice said dryly. "Do you know what time it is?"

Sesshoumaru ignored her words. Instead, he simply went straight to the point, "You have received an application for the post of a paramedic from one called Higurashi Kagome recently."

"Ah! Yes. What about it?"

"You will employ her."

A short pause followed. "Sesshoumaru, you know that I make that decision, not you," Shiori said tightly.

"Is she unqualified?" Sesshoumaru asked pointedly. From what he had understood from his searches, this Higurashi Kagome was certainly not unintelligent. And if she were related to the miko of his dreams in any way, her sheer determination would compensate for any deficiencies in her intellect.

"That's not the point here, Sesshoumaru," Shiori pointed out impatiently.

"Perhaps you require a reminder of the origins of your medical facility?" Sesshoumaru asked in a silky voice.

"There's no need for threats," Shiori snapped irritably. "And besides, I've already sent her a letter asking her to attend an interview."

"Hn."

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked pointedly.

"No."

With that, he ended the call. Now that he had set this in motion, he needed to concentrate on the recent demonic activities. If Inuyasha had heard rumors in the clubs, perhaps he should pay them a visit to see if he could glean more information.

Picking up his jacket, he proceeded to leave the office.

All this searching brought to mind the dream he had last night. By some strange coincidence or perhaps it was the result of his current activities, his dream self was also searching for something, as well as undertaking the ridiculous task of training a human miko.

As always, it did not take much for the dreams to reappear in his mind.

* * *

With a flick of his wrist, his whip appeared.

Sesshoumaru noted the widening of the miko's eyes as his golden strand of whip headed straight for her. With a squeal of alarm, she jumped to the side, flinging her arms out as she did so. A bright flare of miko energy shot out wildly, missing him by a great distance.

"Miko," he gritted out in irritation. "You will attempt to plan your attacks."

Her powers were strong. However, even after two weeks of his training, the execution of her attacks was often flawed. It seemed to be affected by her emotions and considering her lack of success in maintaining her calm and detachment, her attacks were erratic.

When she propped herself up onto her hands and knees into an unfortunately suggestive position, Sesshoumaru forced his eyes to remain fixed to her dark head. His mind, however, refused to cooperate and decided to draw his eyes to her rounded behind. To add to the insult, he was presented with an imaginary image of said portion of her body unclothed.

Her voice broke into his unwanted thoughts. "I'm trying, alright! Your attack came without warning!" she snapped, her chest heaving with each breath she drew in.

His eyes narrowed. This was a waste of his time if the miko could not even grasp the basic concept of a fight. How had Katsuo been training her?

"Warnings will not be issued during battle," he ground out.

She threw her arms up in the air. "This is not a real battle!" Then she frowned, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "You're not training me to send me into battle, are you?" she whispered nervously.

For a moment, Sesshoumaru considered allowing her to believe the notion that he, Sesshoumaru, would send one such as her to battle in the name of the Western Lands. Perhaps her concentration would improve if she sensed the need for improvement. However, he could not bring himself to say it.

"No," he said flatly.

She closed her eyes briefly. Her relief was palpable as she released a pent-up breath. "Thank Kami for that," she muttered.

It was obvious that she was exhausted and he could sense it through their bond. Although incomplete, their mating bond seemed to be growing stronger by the day, forcing him to resist harder. And from what he could tell, it was beginning to affect the miko as well. He had not missed the heated look as her eyes ran over his person during their time together.

A glance outside told him that the sun was high in the sky. "We will continue tomorrow," he declared, understanding that it was pointless to push the miko while she was already weary. He had learnt from the past one week that her performance suffered greatly when she was in such a state. However, he had been gradually increasing the length of their sessions each day, and she had kept up surprisingly well.

With a slow nod, the miko left the dojo.

Knowing that she was heading to the hotsprings, Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to follow her. He would cleanse himself in the cleansing chamber next to his sleeping quarters, away from her.

And perhaps it was time for him to resume patrolling his lands. With all the unexpected events that had occurred, he had neglected his duty for far too long. Although his warriors would have done their best, Sesshoumaru felt more comfortable if he personally patrolled his lands.

Patrolling would also keep him away from the temptation of the miko's person for a day or so, he decided dryly.

* * *

Kagome sighed as she lowered herself into the water, closing her eyes against the bright sunlight. The weather was a little too hot for a hotspring bath but she needed the heat to soothe her aching muscles. Especially knowing that she had to go through another training session tomorrow.

She knew that Sesshoumaru was irritated by her slow progress, but she was just as frustrated about it. No matter how hard she tried, she just could not concentrate. Instead her mind kept wandering to places that it should not. It had never been this hard when Katsuo was training her.

Today, for instance, she had almost taken a hit in the face when her concentration was drawn to the indentation of Sesshoumaru's belly button. She knew that it was a hot day, but could he not have kept his kimono on? How did he expect her to concentrate on the attacks when he was flashing his toned torso at her?

Kagome groaned. Sesshoumaru had warned her about this. After some prodding, he had finally explained the side effects of the incomplete mating. The bond would continue to demand that they complete the mating ritual until they do so. Considering the way she simply could not keep her eyes off him, she was definitely suffering from it. Rather badly, it seemed, if the thoughts in her mind were any indication.

The wind suddenly picked up, jolting her from her musings. Flicking her damp hair out of her eyes, she glanced around warily, but noticed nothing out of place. Shrugging it off, she sank back into the warmth of the water.

Then, out of nowhere, she heard a loud exclamation before something streaked through the sky in front of her. With a large splash, it landed in the hotsprings.

Kagome immediately shrieked in alarm and threw her hands over her bare chest. What was that? Panic overwhelmed her as she tried to scramble out of the water. She was not waiting around to find out what had joined her in the hotsprings. Heart thudding wildly, she made it to the edge of the hotspring before a white blur streaked past her.

Sesshoumaru, she realized with increasing dread. Eyes widening at his presence, she sank back into the water, groaning as she did so. What was he doing here? And how was she supposed to get out now? And there was still _something_ inside the water with her.

Another splash sounded and her gaze immediately snapped towards the source. Her eyes bulged when she discovered that her unwanted bathing partner was an inuyoukai warrior who was still dressed in full battle armor, sputtering as he attempted to straighten himself. For Kami's sakes, what was he doing in the hotsprings?

Before she could voice her thoughts, Sesshoumaru beat her to it.

"You will remove yourself this instance," he snarled, his expression unusually contorted with fury.

Eyes wide in his face in obvious terror, the inuyoukai tried to bow and back away at the same time. His alarm was making him clumsy. Kagome bit her lips to stop herself from laughing as he stumbled on something and ended up being submerged again.

When he resurfaced, he sputtered nervously, "L-Lord Sesshoumaru! Forgive me."

"Perhaps you wish to explain your presence," Sesshoumaru bit out harshly.

Kagome gulped. This was the first time she heard that tone from Sesshoumaru. He sounded absolutely furious. And all this was because his warrior had accidentally landed in the hotsprings? Then her eyes widened in astonishment when she saw that instead of the usual golden hue, his eyes were now blood red.

Face pale and looking as if he might faint at any moment, the warrior stuttered, "T-The g-general…I was u-unable to fend off his a-attack. T-the force threw me clear a-across the walls."

Sesshoumaru's red eyes narrowed. "Leave." His tone was icy.

The warrior blinked.

"NOW!"

Half swimming, half running, the warrior finally made it out of the hotsprings and then disappeared through one of the shoji screens.

Kagome's breath caught in her throat as Sesshoumaru turned to face her. His eyes were still red and she could see the tips of his sharp fangs protruding between his lips. She knew that she should find it scary, but for some reason, the only thing she could think was…magnificent. And the possessiveness in those eyes was unmistakable, making her feel warm.

In a flash, he entered the water and went straight for her. Eyes widening in alarm at his proximity, she opened her mouth but nothing came out. When his arms went around her, she froze. She watched mutely as his head descended.

Then he nuzzled her cheek.

Her breath caught in her throat at the flood of warmth coursing through her. Her mind instantly clouded with something which could only be described as desire.

"S-Sesshoumaru?" she whispered huskily.

She felt a rumble against her chest as he growled. A pleasurable shiver ran down her spine at the sound, and she let out a strangled squeak. His hands tightened around her for a moment before he removed it abruptly.

Then he was gone.

Gaping, Kagome blinked at the empty spot in front of her.

What was that all about?

A sudden surge of annoyance coursed through her, making her clench her fists. How dare he do something like that to her, she thought indignantly. His actions were obviously the effect of their bond, but still, why did he have to tempt her like that? Did he not know how it would affect her?

She growled in her throat before smacking a fist on the surface of the water.

"Miko."

Jumping at the sound of his voice, Kagome spun around sharply. What was he doing here again? Was he planning to continue what he had started? When she shot a glare at him, she suddenly noticed the direction of his now golden gaze. With a squeak of outrage, she sank back into the water.

"Sesshoumaru!" she admonished irritably.

She swore she saw a brief appearance of a smirk on his lips.

"Go away, Sesshoumaru. Just in case you haven't noticed, I'm bathing here."

He quirked a brow. "So it seems."

"Sesshoumaru…" she gritted out impatiently.

"This Sesshoumaru simply wishes to inform you that there will not be any training tomorrow. However, you will continue your search through the scrolls."

Blinking in confusion, she asked, "Why no training tomorrow?"

"This Sesshoumaru wishes to patrol the Western Lands and will return at dusk tomorrow."

"I see," she muttered. Suddenly she felt a little dejected. There he was, going out of the castle while she continued to be stuck in the place. Scowling, she turned away from him. Why did he bother telling her? To rub it in?

As if sensing her unspoken question, he added, "It is best that you are aware of this Sesshoumaru's whereabouts. Otherwise your concern will disturb this Sesshoumaru through the mating bond."

Comprehension dawned, but it did not make her feel any better. "Oh. Well, you can do whatever you want. There's nothing much I can do about it anyway, right? I've been stuck here for weeks now," she mumbled before glancing over her shoulders at him.

He was staring at her, wearing a thoughtful look. Then, without another word, he turned around and left.

* * *

Ten days had passed since the miko had found out about the mating bond and two days since he last patrolled his lands. Sesshoumaru's lips twisted in a grimace. The length of his patrols had grown shorter each time he departed and returned. He was not unaware of the reason behind it. Although it inflicted no actual pain on him, being distanced from the miko brought him a certain amount of discomfort.

And whilst he had been plagued by the unwanted reactions to their separation, the miko appeared to be unaffected. He had sensed no distress from her during his trips. Perhaps it was due to the fact that his demon blood reacted stronger to the mating bond.

Having exhausted the search through the scrolls in his study, he had directed the miko to the archive, where a library of old scrolls were kept. The miko had spent several days searching through the scrolls, each evening returning to him covered in dust and smelling of musty scrolls. And each time, her dejection grew as she failed to find anything useful. He, too, had begun to despair of ever finding a solution to their predicament. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Sesshoumaru exhaled heavily, barely glancing at the land treaties in front of him.

It was then that the sound of excited footsteps reached him from the hallway outside. The shoji screen to his study slid open abruptly and the miko entered unannounced. His reprimand died in his throat as he noted her excited expression and a roll of scroll gripped in her small hand.

Waving the scroll in the air, she declared, "I found it!!"

Unfolding his legs, Sesshoumaru stood up and walked towards her calmly, even though it was the last thing he felt. Taking the scroll from her, he unrolled it and began to read. With each black stroke on the parchment, Sesshoumaru felt his hopes rising. It seemed that the miko was correct. The scroll outlined a method which would break the bond, he noted with satisfaction. Anticipation began to build up in him at the notion that he would soon be free of this unwanted bond.

Then his blood ran cold as his eyes locked on a certain line.

It required the bond to be complete in the first instance.

He turned his attention to the excited miko. "Have you read this?" he asked carefully, wondering how she could be so cheerful knowing what awaited them should they chose to utilize the method.

She frowned. "I read the beginning. Why? Is it the wrong one?"

"No."

"Then?"

"This only works on fully formed mating bonds," he gritted out.

Her eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes in resignation.

But it was the only way. And according to the scroll, there was no need for complicated spells. It simply required them to betray each other. Now that it was right in front of him, it was laughably simple, apart from the part where the bond needed to be completed. Idly, he wondered whether if it was his father or his mother who had betrayed the other. Not that it would have mattered much to either of them. After all, their mating had been arranged for political purposes. Their union had resulted in the expansion of the Western Lands and the birth of the heir of the Western Lands. The reason for the mating had been honorable, even if the end was not.

Unlike his own predicament. Being marked by a human miko was nothing short of disgraceful. However, he would ensure that this disgrace was rectified. Much as he detested the notion, he knew that they had no other choice but to complete the mating unless they wished to remain bonded to each other for the rest of their lives. The mere thought of it was intolerable.

He made a decision.

"The mating bond will be completed," he intoned firmly.

The miko gaped incredulously. "WHAT? Why?"

"It is a small price to pay for the removal of the bond."

"B-But…we have to…to…" she faltered uncomfortably.

His lips tightened. Yes, they would have to rut to complete the mating. But after that, the problem would be easily resolved once one of them carried out an act of betrayal.

"You have no choice in the matter, Miko. The bond _will_ be broken."

Her eyes were burning hot as she glared at him. "No choice? NO CHOICE?! This is my virg-" she broke of suddenly and slumped. "I'm doomed."

Sesshoumaru glowered inwardly. It was he, Sesshoumaru, who should be protesting against the indignity of rutting with a human, however much his body chose to betray him.

"It's the only way, Miko." His tone was flat. "The bond will be broken once an act of betrayal is carried out by one of us."

"Betrayal," she echoed, her voice strangely numb.

"Hn."

"You mean, cheating?"

"Indeed." His tone was dry. "Infidelity is certainly a form of betrayal."

She blinked at him, and then with a weary sigh, she mumbled, "I can't believe this is happening. How many more things can go wrong?"

His lips tightened. This ridiculous situation only occurred as a result of her ignorance of youkai culture. However, it would be pointless to dwell on it.

"Miko, you will cease your sulking and accept what you have to do," he bit out.

She simply gave him a reproachful look before she turned around and walked out of the room. As Sesshoumaru watched her departing figure, he could not help but feel a twinge of remorse at his harsh words.

* * *

The look on the miko's face refused to leave his mind, even though Sesshoumaru knew that it was simply a dream and nothing else. He ground his teeth in irritation at his inability to control his thoughts on this one particular matter.

He needed to concentrate on the current situation with the demonic attacks, not ponder upon foolish dreams. Attempting to shut off the thoughts again, he directed his mind to his current destination. His car sped down the road, mingling with the nighttime traffic as he drove to the nearest venue run by his brother's company. It was not far from Taishou Securities, therefore it was not long before he pulled into the parking space marked 'Private'.

Locking the car, he made his way to the entrance. Recognizing him, the demon bouncer bowed slightly and stood back to allow him to enter the club. Sesshoumaru immediately winced at the volume of the music when he stepped in. Although the frequency of the sound system had been moderated to a level which could be tolerated by the general demon population, it was still too loud for one with heightened sense of hearing such as him.

The venue was filled to capacity, Sesshoumaru noted as he scanned the interior. Couches surrounding low tables were scattered around the place, occupied by mostly drunk customers. Further into the venue, scantily clad female dancers were gyrating shamelessly on the raised platforms at four corners of the dance floor while the customers danced along and whistled at them.

Sesshoumaru's lips curled in distaste.

Sensing a familiar presence approaching him, Sesshoumaru turned around.

Wearing a stunned expression, Inuyasha exclaimed incredulously, "Sesshoumaru, what are you doing here?"

He simply gave Inuyasha a stony look. "This venue is part of Taishou Holdings, is it not?"

Inuyasha blinked at him dumbly before he recomposed himself. "Of course it is! But YOU don't normally turn up at these places."

"And I was under the impression that you are running the administrative section?"

Crossing his arms over his red shirt, Inuyasha tilted his chin. "Keh! But who said I can't come here after work?"

"Hn." Sesshoumaru had no doubt that it was the female patrons in the place which encouraged Inuyasha's presence. Deciding that he had would quickly scan the place and its patrons so that he could leave sooner, Sesshoumaru inclined his head at Inuyasha and turned to walk away.

"Oi! Wait!" Inuyasha called out.

Frowning at the uncouth manner in which Inuyasha had addressed him, Sesshoumaru simply continued to step away, ignoring the hanyou.

"Damn it, Sesshoumaru. I just want to tell you something."

Without stopping, Sesshoumaru simply glanced over his shoulders. "Then speak."

Inuyasha came up to his side, wearing a curious expression. "You remember that conversation we had a while back about pups?"

Sesshoumaru stilled. Then he turned to Inuyasha, raising a questioning brow.

"Someone saw a kid at the carnival with silver hair and golden eyes." Inuyasha's frown deepened. "I thought that it might be a mistake, and then the demon told me that there was something on his forehead that looked like a crescent moon."

It must have been the pup he had seen at the carnival, Sesshoumaru surmised.

"Hey, are you listening to me?"

"Do not concern yourself with the matter."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in realization. "You know about this?" Then he paused thoughtfully before he exclaimed, "Wait! Is he REALLY your pup?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as Inuyasha began to laugh. Doubling over, the hanyou clutched his stomach while guffaws wracked his frame, earning curious stares from several patrons. Sesshoumaru failed to see what was so amusing about the situation. He did not know if who the pup belonged to, but explaining such a thing to Inuyasha would be pointless.

Choking in on his laughter, Inuyasha pointed a shaky finger at him. "You lecture me about my rutting habits and you've gone and gotten some female with pup? What a hypocrite!"

"I did not do such a thing," Sesshoumaru bit out irritably.

"Then explain why there's a kid out there who looks just like you."

Sesshoumaru fell silent. He had his ideas, but he would not jump to any conclusions until he possessed more information on the pup and his mother.

"So?"

"Silence, Inuyasha," he gritted out. "I did not come here to be mocked."

"Keh! Fine. I suppose you're dealing with it." Sobering, Inuyasha continued, "So what are you here for?"

"Information on the demonic attacks."

Inuyasha's eyes bulged. "Wait a minute! You're going to question the customers?"

"No. I will simply listen."

Inuyasha frowned and then he sighed. "I get it. Things are not looking good, is it?"

"No."

Gesturing around them, Inuyasha said, "You can try to get as much information as you can. Do you need help?"

"No."

"Well, I'll just tell everyone to keep their eyes and ears open, just in case."

"Hn."

Sesshoumaru eyed the crowd with distaste as he commenced his task.

* * *

The interview at Tsukuyo Medical had gone much better than she had ever hoped for. She had even been offered the job on the spot. Grinning like mad, she had run all the way home to break the good news to her family. Her mother, Souta and Sachimaru had been overjoyed, hugging her and congratulating her. Her grandfather had simply grunted, but she had noted the proud twinkle in his eyes. Perhaps now he would give up on the idea of making her a shrine priestess.

She glanced around the room, checking to see if everything was in order. The random beeping of various equipments surrounded her, while medics and nurses rushed past on the other side of the glass partition, intent on completing whatever tasks they had their mind on. It was her fifth day today and she was glad that so far, no one had any complaints. At the moment, all of the other paramedics had been called out, leaving only her and her partner, Moriko, on standby.

Growing bored, she had volunteered to help around the place and had just recently finished the task of tidying up a surgery. Making sure that all the surgical tools were in its correct place, Kagome nodded to herself and left the room. It was not a bad thing, being based in the medical centre rather than rushing around on call. Maybe in a few months she would work up the nerve to ask someone if she could further her studies.

Walking out of the room, she made her way to the staff recreation room to kill time. As she passed Shiori's office, she could not help but hear her boss's agitated words through the slightly open door. It sounded like Shiori was on the phone with someone.

"I can't do that. It's against policy."

A short pause followed.

"Look. I know, but I have a medical centre to run here and I can't just override everything just because you call up. There might be a genuine case out there waiting for help."

Another heavy pause filled the air before Shiori hissed her exasperation. "Fine. This is the last time I'm doing a favor for you."

Uncomfortable with the fact that she was effectively eavesdropping, Kagome hurried past the room and turned around the corner. Reaching the staff room, she poured herself a cup of tea and sank down on the couch. A magazine caught her attention and she began to read it.

However, the beeping sound of her pager at her waist soon tore her attention away from the article. After a quick glance, she jogged towards the reception desk.

"I got an emergency call?" she queried.

The receptionist nodded before passing a printout slip to her. Taking the slip, she scanned the reception area, looking for her partner. Moriko should be here by now. Frowning, she wondered where the other paramedic was. As she waited impatiently, Kagome read the information on the slip. They needed to go treat someone who had an accident at their home.

She looked around her as she walked out of the building, making her way to the waiting ambulance. Where was Moriko? Kagome was growing increasingly worried at the absence of her partner. Although she had only known the brown-haired girl for a grand total of five days, it was not like Moriko to go missing when on call.

Turning to the driver, she asked, "Manten, do you know where is Moriko?"

The large man shook his head. "No. But we have to leave without her."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Alone?"

Manten nodded, the three strands of hair on his otherwise bald head shaking with the motion. "Don't worry. I'll help if you need me to."

Knowing that she had no choice, Kagome nodded. They could not afford any delays.

The drive to their destination outside of town took only twenty minutes at the speed Manten was going. When they finally arrived, Kagome gaped at the gate which towered before them. As Manten leaned out of the ambulance to flash his identity card at the security checkpoint, Kagome's eyes skipped past the gate to the stone walls surrounding the place. It was like a fortress, she thought, feeling awed.

When the gates swung open, her eyes widened in surprise. She had expected to see a mansion. Instead, what greeted her eyes were a large compound which was set up like a farm. In the distance, within the boundary of the stone walls, she could see several large structures which looked like barns. The homely building closest to them was built in the traditional Japanese style. How odd that the owners surrounded a farm with such high level security.

Once they pulled up in front of the main door, Kagome grabbed her heavy medical kit and went to the door. The door swung open to reveal a teenage boy with red hair and intelligent green eyes.

"Come in," he said. "Ojisan is in the living room."

His uncle was the one who was hurt? Barely glancing at her surroundings, Kagome followed the boy to the living room. When they reached, the teenager slid open the shoji screen and gestured for her to go in. It was obvious that he was not going in with her.

Nodding her thanks, Kagome stepped in.

Then her eyes landed on the sole occupant of the room.

Her breath immediately caught in her throat as her jaw dropped.

She must be going crazy. It was simply not possible, she insisted to herself. Blinking rapidly, she tried to dispel the image in front of her, but it remained there. As solid and real as she was.

She could not believe it.

For standing in front of her, appearing larger than life, was the modern representation of her dream Sesshoumaru.

* * *

A/N: Grins It finally happened! So, how did you find it so far? As always, please review and let me know what you think! Thank you! 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing the last chapter. I apologize for not responding to your reviews individually this time, but been busy preparing to go on vacation. It is unlikely that I'll be able to update in the 3 weeks when I'm off, but I'll try! In the meantime, I hope that you will enjoy this chapter.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 8**

She could not believe it.

For standing in front of her, appearing larger than life, was the modern representation of her dream Sesshoumaru.

She was dimly aware that her lungs were protesting against the lack of air, but her whole attention was fixed to the tall, aristocratic-looking man in front of her. He was Sesshoumaru minus the crescent moon and the stripes on his cheeks. His silver hair hung over his ears, but she swore she could see tips peeking out between the strands. Seated on a flat cushion in front of her, he stared up at her as if he was trying to look through her.

She fought the urge to pinch herself. This was too strange to be true. She had to bite the inside of her cheeks to refrain from yelling, 'YOU!'

"You were sent by the medical centre."

Kagome gulped. His deep voice was exactly as she remembered from her dreams. His lips parted when he spoke, revealing straight white teeth. No fangs, so this one was not a demon.

What was she thinking? Get a grip, Kagome! Demons did not exist, remember?

Still, this was too much of a coincidence to be real. Her mind still could not wrap itself around the fact that this might be the same Sesshoumaru. How could it be? But his tone, his appearance and everything she could see so far apart from the demonic markings pointed to one conclusion. Maybe she was still dreaming. Maybe this job, this place, it was all a dream. What else could it be? The whole thing did not make any sense to her otherwise.

"I…um…" she trailed off uncertainly.

His red and white kimono rustled softly against his skin as he stood up. The attire reminded her eerily of the garment usually worn by her dream Sesshoumaru. Then without a word, he quirked a questioning brow at her.

She swallowed at the familiarity of his motion. Her mind struggled to form a coherent sentence. "Um… Hi. I'm Higurashi Kagome. Are you the one with the injury?" she asked.

Only then did she realize just how forced she sounded. She immediately stifled the urge to groan. When he continued to stare at her wordlessly, she felt herself growing increasingly agitated. Without a conscious thought, she took a step backwards, away from the man that should not be real at all.

"Your injury?" she prompted nervously.

He blinked once. "What injury do you speak of?"

She gaped. Had Manten managed to get them to the wrong house? Kagome pressed her palm to her forehead, trying to fend off her growing headache. First, she could not find her work partner and she had to take the case alone. Then, she ended up in the wrong house. To make things worse, she was facing someone who looked like a character in her dream. Was she going crazy? How could the man in front of her look and behave so much like the Western Lord?

Maybe she had bumped into him somewhere before. She must have just added the crescent moon on his forehead and the stripes on his cheeks herself. Because the guy in front of her was definitely not a demon. Yes, that must be it. She did not dare to think of what else it could be.

A niggling doubt instantly surfaced, but before it could take hold, Kagome quickly brushed it away. Because if the whole thing was real, it meant that she had…mated Sesshoumaru. And if things were as bad in her dreams as it seemed, then her dream self would have no choice but to admit that she would have to go ahead with the crazy plan of completing the mating. It was the only thing they could do. At least she could always remember that her first time was with someone special, right?

Sesshoumaru was special alright. He was a demon.

But dreaming of him was something very different from having a real life replica standing right in front of her. She shook her head roughly, trying to dispel the thoughts. Coincidences did happen, right? This could be just one BIG coincidence. The hair, the eyes and the voice. They were all coincidences.

Just how many times did she have to repeat it to herself until she believed it?

Inhaling deeply, she took another step away from him. Focus, Kagome. Focus. This man had no idea what was going on with her and was probably wondering why she was behaving so strangely. She had better leave before she made a fool out of herself. When she got out of this place, she would try to find a quiet spot to think. Or maybe book an appointment with a psychiatrist. Maybe there was really something wrong with her mind.

"Right. No injury, huh? Well, I guess there must have been a mistake then. I'll leave," she gushed, hating how desperate she sounded.

He moved with a sudden blur of motion.

Gasping, she blinked in disbelief. No _human_ could move THAT fast.

In a blink of an eye, the man was staring down imperiously at her. Then he held out an arm, revealing a shallow gash from his elbow to his wrist. Kagome's eyes widened. Did he just hurt himself? Because she had seen no sign of the injury a second ago.

"You will tend to this injury," he intoned evenly, his eyes not leaving her.

Her lips parted at the familiar tone. Then she felt herself bristling. "You just did that yourself, didn't you?" she hissed accusingly, all her confusion manifesting itself in a form she was more familiar with; annoyance.

He raised a brow. "It matters not when the injury was received."

"How did you do it?" she asked as she glanced down at his blunt fingernails. Then her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Was that blood on one of his nails?

"You need not know," he replied shortly.

She bit her lips to keep herself from retorting. Since this whole thing was most likely just a coincidence, she was not planning to make a fool of herself. She had worked too hard to get to where she was now and she had no intention of losing her job.

"Sit down," she ground out, valiantly trying to inject a modicum of politeness in her words.

She saw his golden eyes flicker indignantly. Evidently, he took offence at her instruction. More and more, his attitude reminded her of the less than savory personality of her dream Sesshoumaru.

She just needed to get this over with so that she could get away and think. There was no way she could do that when he was right in front of her. So far, her mind had only gone in circles, confusing herself further.

Mind made up, she focused her attention on his wound. Her hands paused when a strange feeling came over her as she touched him. Something nudged at the back of her mind, but she could not quite put her finger on it. Shaking away the feeling, she forced herself to focus on her task. Spraying disinfectant onto the gash, she proceeded to clean the wound.

"I don't think you need stitches. It's a long gash but it's pretty shallow," she muttered as she placed some medication on it. Knowing that she had to wait awhile before she bandaged it, she tried to think of something else which could distract her from what she refused to think about just yet.

The forms!

"I'll need you to fill in this form, but with that injury, I don't think it's a good idea to write. But if you tell me your details, I'll fill it in for you." Grabbing a pen and placing the form on a clipboard, she sat down beside him, propping the clipboard on her knees.

Glancing at him, she asked, "Your name?"

His eyes flickered and then, his manner almost deliberate, he replied evenly, "Taishou…Sesshoumaru."

She froze, not noticing that the pen had fallen away from her slack fingers. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She wanted to yell at him, to tell him not to play tricks on her. But how could she? Because she had never told anyone about her dreams. Not to mention that it was impossible to impersonate someone else's dream character.

"Girl?"

Kagome, she corrected silently, not 'girl'. She quickly forced out a laugh as she tried to find an excuse for her reaction. "Oh, I'm supposed to be here with my partner. But don't worry, I'm new but I'm quite capable of treating your injury." Yes, it was rather lame and she doubted that he believed her.

His brow rose elegantly. "Is that so?"

She decided to ignore his mocking words. "Address and number?" she asked quickly, bending down to retrieve the pen.

"You will find my file with the relevant information in Tsukuyo Medical," he told her quietly.

Then it clicked. Taishou… "You're the Taishou of Taishou Holdings?" she squeaked.

"Hn."

She wanted to sink into a hole. This was so embarrassing. He was at the top of the company which owned Tsukuyo and all she could think of was the fact that he was identical to her dream Sesshoumaru. A bubble of hysterical laughter rose in her throat. She must be going mad. That was it. Yes, she had finally lost her mind.

"Is something the matter?" he asked with a tint of amusement in his voice.

"This is not real," she muttered, shaking her head.

A short pause followed before he remarked evenly, "You appear to be real." Something in his tone told her that he had something else on his mind when he said it.

But she knew that she could not be impolite to a patient, at least until she could make up her mind if he was really her dream Sesshoumaru, as impossible as it seemed. So she bit back a retort and worked on calming herself. Turning away under to retrieve a roll of bandage from the kit, she announced needlessly, "I'm going to apply the bandages now."

"Hn."

Kneeling in front of him, she proceeded to wrap the gauze over his wound. It was strange, but the wound looked much better than she thought she had seen earlier. A tickling sensation against her cheek broke her train of thought and she glanced out of the corner of her eyes only to find that Sesshoumaru had lowered his head close to her hair.

Her throat went dry. Was he _sniffing_ her?

A flash of her dream returned to her, reminding her of how smooth his cheeks had felt when he nuzzled her. Then she gasped when she realized that she was thinking that this Sesshoumaru was the same as the one in her dreams. She gave herself a mental shake. This modern day Taishou Sesshoumaru was not going to nuzzle her. He was probably leaning closer to see if she was doing her job properly. Right?

"I assure you that quite capable of bandaging an arm. But maybe you would like to go to Tsukuyo Medical just in case?" she asked in a strained voice, feeling increasingly agitated by his proximity.

"That is unnecessary." His voice was clipped.

She swung around at his tone, just to find a pair of familiar eyes boring into her. There was some unnamed emotion flashing across those golden orbs. It was unnerving to say the least.

* * *

To say that he was astonished would be an understatement.

This female in front of him resembled the miko in his dreams not only in appearance, but in other aspects as well. Their voice and mannerisms were identical. And from their brief interaction, he decided that this female also possessed the same personality as the miko, albeit a little less temperamental than her dream counterpart. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she was here on a professional basis. He wondered if she was as fiery as the miko in his dreams.

A flash of the passion-glazed eyes of his dream miko came to him as his mind revisited his dream last night.

"Mr. Taishou?"

He blinked as Rin's living room returned into focus, drawing him away from the flashes of the hotsprings during which his dream self had scent-marked the miko. Then his eyes landed on the female in front of him. He immediately suppressed the urge touch her, to determine if her skin was as silky as the one he had caressed in his dream. His blood rushed in his veins at the very thought and he could not help but stare at her heatedly.

To his amusement, a blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Is everything okay?" she asked in a strained voice.

"Hn."

Her skittishness and nervousness was curious indeed. It was as if she knew what he was thinking. Perhaps she did. Perhaps he was not the only one having dreams. However, the reason behind the odd similarity between her and his dream still eluded him. He would need to obtain more facts before he decided on how to proceed.

She averted her gaze, obviously discomfited. "Oh…Okay."

Sesshoumaru regarded her silently as she continued to bandage his arm.

Initially, he had only wanted to ascertain if this human smelled like the miko of his dreams. However, when he had sniffed her, the only thing he could sense was her masked scent. His own actions baffled him. Surely he could not be considering that this wench was the same as the one in his dreams. Surely those were nothing but dreams.

What about the pup, his mind questioned. If the dreams were simply dreams, then how did the pup fit into the puzzle? However, if the dream was memories of past events, then it was entirely possible that the pup was his, considering the direction of his dreams.

An odd warmth flooded him at the notion of fathering the pup, although he was still uncertain about the entire situation. From their brief encounter, he had felt _something_ for the pup. The fact that he sired a pup at all was hard to believe but if the pup was his, he would take full responsibility. The pup would never want for anything.

But how could that be? If it had happened, why did he not remember the occurrence of any of these events? Why did he dream of it instead?

Had a spell been cast at some point in the past? One which he was not aware of?

A spell, he echoed silently.

Then he went cold at the implication of his thoughts. It baffled him that this had not occurred to him sooner. Yes, it made sense that a spell was the reason behind the oddly vivid dreams. One which this female had somehow cast to deceive him into believing that the pup was his. Such a simple illusion could be hidden behind the scent-masking. It would also explain her nervousness. No doubt she feared exposure.

It was simply a foolish deception. It was the only thing which fit all the evidences; her scent masking, the boy's appearance, the madness and vividness of his dreams. The fact that she knew enough of the past to instill such a dream in him suggested that she was not human after all.

A strange sense of misgiving washed over him at his thought. It was odd how his instincts balked at the notion of her treachery. From what he could ascertain so far, she did not appear to be the type to do such a thing. Perhaps his misgiving was simply due to his own reluctance to accept that he had been deceived so thoroughly for close to two months.

His lips thinned. He would not allow such trickery to go unpunished. Especially considering the pang of disappointment which coursed through him at the realization that the pup was only an illusion.

Suppressing his mounting fury, he simply stared at her impassively as she stood up with the blood-stained cotton and gauze. She appeared so innocent, so guileless. However, he should have known that appearance could be deceiving.

"Well, all as good as new," she declared.

Gathering her equipment and the bloodstained items, she went to her medical kit and began to pack. It was clear that she was in a hurry to leave. Her very telling actions reinforced his suspicions. If she was innocent, there would be no reason for her hurry.

Nevertheless, he had no intention of allowing her to leave until he pried the truth from her.

In a blink of an eye, he closed the distance between them. Towering over her, he directed an icy glare down towards her. She immediately stiffened, her eyes were large in her face as she gaped at him. When she attempted to step away, he clamped his fingers around her shoulders to still her movements.

"Hey!" she protested indignantly. "What do you think you're doing?"

"You will release me from the spell," he instructed in an uncompromising voice. "I will not tolerate such trickery."

"W-What?" She frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about," she exclaimed, looking puzzled.

Sesshoumaru simply stared at her while his annoyance coursed through him. His senses were divided. Whilst his instinct told him that she had spoken nothing but the truth, his mind was telling him that there were simply too many other evidences which proved otherwise.

"Do not attempt to deceive me, wench!" he finally hissed. "You will admit to what you've done or suffer the consequences."

The female bristled. Eyes flashing angrily, she drew herself up to her full height to glare at him. "Hey, you listen to me, alright? What do you think you're doing? You called me here for help and then accuse me of some spell thing. And now you have the nerve to _threaten_ me?" she snapped.

The familiarity of this particular confrontation to those in his dreams was unnerving. However, he forced those thought to the back of his mind and tightened his fingers on her shoulders. "You will cease your pretense and obey my orders," he gritted out.

"Don't order me around! You're not some stupid lord from the Western Lands!" she retorted heatedly. As if realizing too late what she had just said, the female clapped her hands to her mouth in mortification.

"What did you just say?" he asked quietly.

Shaking her head vigorously as she leaned away from him, she exclaimed, "Nothing, nothing!"

A feeling of triumph coursed through him, mingling with an odd twinge of disappointment. Why should he feel disappointed at all that he had uncovered her trickery? Did he subconsciously wish that his dreams of her were real? Or perhaps he wished that the pup was his. Perhaps the exposure to Rin's and Shippou's kits had affected him more than he realized.

Such wistful thoughts had no place in his mind, he decided, hardening his resolve. The female before him was devious, but she had just made a mistake. Now all he wanted to know was her real identity and confirm her purpose in carrying out such an elaborate farce. She was obviously a demoness in disguise. There could be no other explanation.

In a harsh tone, he hissed, "You have betrayed yourself. Remove the scent-masking and your disguise. You will unveil yourself, demoness." He allowed his youki to escape to reinforce his words.

The small hands which were pushing at him suddenly stilled. Then she directed a fulminating glare at him, yelling, "What scent-masking? And are you blind or what? I'm most certainly not a demoness!"

"Do not push me, demoness," he bit out threateningly, directing a wave of youki at her for good measure. How dare she persist in denying him the truth?

To his surprise, her anger only flared further. By now, any demoness would have cowered in fear at the wave of youki he had just released. But this female in front of him seemed completely unperturbed. The entire situation was oddly disturbing…and too familiar for his liking.

"How many times must I say it? I'm not a demoness and I have a name. It's Kagome. Use it!" she yelled into his face.

Eyes narrowing at her insolence, he shook her roughly and snarled, "I will address you however I wish."

"You…You…" she sputtered in rage as she pounded her fists against his immovable chest.

He wanted to reprimand her for her futile attempts at injuring him but he did not. Instead, Sesshoumaru regarded her with something akin to morbid fascination as her eyes flashed and her face reddened in fury. There was a brief flare of something from her before it was reined in. However, the brief exposure was enough for him to recognize the pure, raw power.

He blinked in astonishment, baffled by what he had just sensed.

She was no demon.

She was a miko. Like the one in his dreams. And from what he could sense, their strength was identical. It perplexed him. It struck him then that she was not lying to him. It meant that there was a real possibility that the dreams were indeed, lost memories of the past.

It occurred to him then that with each dream, everything became clearer. Recalling what had actually happened five hundred years in the past revealed that the dreams explained many things which he had been puzzled about.

For instance, he had not been able to recall what exactly was Akiyama's gift to him. Now that he knew that the dreams were not simply dreams, it was obvious that the Northern Lord had presented the miko to him as a gift. Then there was also his puzzlement at not being able to recall why he had instructed the servants to repair his sleeping chamber for no apparent reason. Again, this could be explained by the fact that the miko had damaged it.

And now that he consciously thought about it, there was an entire period of time which seemed to have eluded him. But his dreams had supplied the missing details.

"Miko…" he hissed.

She sucked in a sharp breath, her brown eyes turning impossibly large in her face. Her cheeks instantly drained of all color.

"No…It can't be…" Blinking as her breath escaped her in a rush, she whispered tremulously, "It's really you…"

Stunned, he watched as a myriad of emotions crossed her face. He could guess that the wench had been having dreams as well. It certainly explained her odd reactions earlier. It was not guilt which had prompted her odd behavior, but confusion and wariness.

Her hands fell from his chest. "IT'S YOU!!!" she exclaimed in a deafening pitch, pointing a shaky finger just a fraction of an inch from his nose. "You were supposed to be just a dream."

Refraining from the urge to wince at the volume of her voice, and to bite the offending finger, Sesshoumaru responded dryly, "Indeed. The same applies to you."

"You were dreaming about me? W-What? H-How…" she trailed off, her eyes clouding with confusion.

He did not know.

And it irked him that he did not.

"What did you do?" the miko asked accusingly.

He sent a sharp look at her. How dare she imply that he had caused this entire debacle? "Miko. You will watch your words."

"Don't call me Miko. It's unnerving," she snapped.

His eyes narrowed. "I will address you as I wish."

She appeared not to have heard him. Instead, her expression turned contemplative. "Is it the same dream?" Frowning at him, she added, "Are we somehow sharing the same dream? How can it be just a dream if you're standing here?"

He raised a brow. Did she not realize that demons lived much longer than humans? Which meant that _she_ should not even be alive? Unless, of course, she was a reincarnation. The miko was human, therefore it was simply not possible for her to live through five hundred years and appear as if she had just aged a few years. This suggested that the Kagome in this time was not the same one as the miko. The name was most likely a coincidence and she was simply been having dreams of her past life.

Without any explanation from him, comprehension dawned in her eyes. "Oh…You're a demon. But where are your markings?" Then she clapped her hands to the sides of her face, staring at him disbelievingly. "You lived back then until now, which means that you're really, really… _old_."

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. Did she just insult him? Finding the direction of her thoughts objectionable, he asked instead, "What did your last dream consist of?" If they were having the same dream, she should know by now that they were once mated, even incompletely. And no longer so, if the absence of his mating mark was any indication.

A blush crept up her cheeks, confirming his suspicions. "W-Why don't you go first?"

His eyes narrowed. The miko was obviously embarrassed. "We need to rut to complete the mating bond," he said stonily.

Her eyes widened. "Don't say it like that!" she exclaimed.

He inhaled slowly in an attempt to calm his irritation at her response. "Miko. We _needed_ to rut in order to…"

She interjected quickly, "I get it! No need to repeat it." Then she slumped. "What do you think happened? Why am I having the same dreams as you?"

He regarded her thoughtfully, then he said quietly, "It is possible that you are the reincarnation of the miko five hundred years past."

Her eyes widened in comprehension. "Meaning that everything that had happened was actually real?"

"It is possible."

"What do you mean it is possible? If it's real, surely you'd remember it." She grimaced before adding, "After all, you were _alive_ five hundred years ago. How old were you then?"

His eyes narrowed. Why did the miko insist on making his age an issue? "My age is irrelevant."

She gave him a skeptical look. "So? Why can't you remember."

He stared at her silently.

"You don't know, do you?" she said with a heavy sigh. She raised a hand to rub her forehead. "This is too much to take in," she muttered before she adopted a thoughtful expression.

"Hn."

Then, right before his eyes, she suddenly paled. For the first time ever, he detected fear in her countenance. His brows immediately furrowed. What could have caused such a response from the miko?

Before he had the opportunity to question her, Sesshoumaru's ears picked up the sound of approaching vehicle. It appeared that Rin had returned home. It would no longer be appropriate for them to continue this conversation, much as he wished to question her about the pup. Reaching into his kimono, he pulled out a card and pressed it into her small hand.

"Miko. You will inform me of any further dreams."

Her eyes bulged. "What?" Then she shook her head vigorously. "No!"

He gave her an uncompromising look. "You will do as you are told."

"I'm not discussing my _dreams_ with you!" she protested insistently.

Before he could enlighten her of the folly of disregarding his orders, the sound of approaching footsteps stilled him. Soon, his ward pushed the shoji screen open and peered in.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Then Rin gasped, her hand flying to her lips when her eyes landed on the miko. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you brought a visitor."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head, allowing his eyes to soften slightly. "Rin."

Staring at the miko curiously, Rin stepped into the living room. "Hello. I'm Rin," she greeted with a smile.

The miko returned her smile. "I'm Kagome. I came here to treat Ses- Mr. Taishou."

"I see…" There was a speculative gleam in her eyes. "Well, make yourself at home. I have something to do upstairs," she said quickly.

"Oh no…I'm just leaving." Flicking a glance at him, the miko continued, "Since you're alright, I'd better go."

"Miko…"

She rushed out of the door before he could prevent her escape without raising suspicions. Soon, he heard the sound of the ambulance leaving the compound. His lips tightened. Where did she think she could hide? Surely she realized by now that he could locate her easily.

"That was…interesting," Rin remarked curiously.

He gave the dark-haired woman a sideway glance. No doubt his ward wanted to know about the reason behind the miko's presence.

"Hn."

"So…who is she?" Rin asked.

"I believe she had introduced herself."

"You know that wasn't what I meant," Rin retorted, sounding exasperated. "I mean, I thought it was odd that you'd want to come here in the middle of the day especially when I'm not even here. But then, to call in an ambulance because of…" She waved at the bandage on his arm. "…minor wounds that you can heal within half an hour? Something is going on."

Sesshoumaru directed a look of disapproval at her. But like the miko, Rin seemed to be impervious to its effect. Instead, she blithely continued with her questions. "So, who is she? You two seemed pretty close."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He was beginning to wonder if his odd urge to rescue Rin five centuries ago had been somehow influenced by the miko. Perhaps his subconscious had recognized Rin as a human female which resembled the miko in character.

"She is an old acquaintance."

Rin's brow rose. "How come I don't know that you have a _human_ female acquaintance?" she asked suspiciously. "Not to mention you tend to avoid females in general."

"Perhaps you do not need to know everything, Rin," he responded dryly.

She shook her head. "But, Lord Sesshoumaru, I have the right to know such a thing considering you're using my home for…uh… what exactly did you come here for again?"

"To pay Ah-Un a visit."

Rin looked skeptical. "Hn."

His lips twitched at her response. However, he had had enough of being questioned. "It's time to depart."

She gave him a baleful look. "Fine. But one day, you are going to have to tell me."

He declined to respond. Instead he made his way out of the house to the car parked in one of the garages. As he drove out of Rin's home, he went through the options of what was possible.

It was obvious that Higurashi Kagome exist and was sharing the same dreams as he was. Now that that was established, the question was how? Assuming that this present miko was a reincarnation of the one in his dreams of the past, then where did the pup fit in?

He knew that until the dreams progressed further, he would not be able to comprehend just exactly what was happening. Soon, he thought decisively. Soon enough, the dreams would reveal the past. And whether she liked it or not, the miko of the present would assist him in solving this puzzle.

* * *

Kagome could not breathe easily until they had traveled a fair distance from Rin's farm. Only then did she give in to the urge to pinch herself. Too many things had happened in such a short time and she was having a hard time believing it.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed when the stinging pain shot up her arm.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" Manten asked, obviously concerned.

She nodded, trying not to think of what had just happened in the farm. "You heard from Moriko?"

Manten shook his head. "Not from her but Shiori called up to tell me that Moriko had to go home because of some emergency."

"I see."

"Was everything alright in there?"

Kagome nodded and then turned to stare out of the window as the scenery rushed past. Almost immediately, her encounter with Sesshoumaru came back to her. An odd feeling coursed through her at the thought that she was the reincarnation of the miko who had mated the aristocratic demon. She could hardly believe it, but she supposed that it was the only thing which made sense.

She ground her teeth in annoyance.

He must have planned this whole thing. Being the owner of Taishou Holdings, he could have easily gotten anyone to agree to his plans. Fragments of Shiori's conversation which she had overhead earlier returned to her and Kagome's lips tightened in irritation when she realized what must have happened. The arrogant demon had forced Shiori to send her out, obviously.

There was only one thing which really scared her, the thing which had caused her to run out of Rin's home. Now that she had met Sesshoumaru, it was more likely that Sachimaru was his son rather than Inuyasha's. The resemblance was striking. And this Sesshoumaru actually had a crescent moon on his forehead in the past, in the exact same spot where Sachimaru wore his.

She shivered. From what she knew of Sesshoumaru from her dreams, the demon was nothing but resourceful. And he was certainly used to getting his own way. What if Sesshoumaru found out about Sachimaru? Would he want him back?

Her lips tightened in determination. If Sesshoumaru was negligent enough to abandon his son three years ago, he did not deserve to have him back. And anyway, she promised Sachimaru that she would never let anyone take him away from her.

But what should she do now? Was there even _anything_ she could do?

No.

Dream or not, she would not contact him. She would try her best to stay out of his way. So long as Sesshoumaru did not know about Sachimaru, there was no reason for him to suspect anything.

And anyway, it looked like Sesshoumaru was just curious because he could not figure out why he could not remember his past. That was why he wanted her to tell him about any other dreams she might have. She cringed at the idea of telling Sesshoumaru certain parts of her dreams. Some of the things which had happened was downright embarrassing. There was no way she would tell him.

Sighing inwardly, she allowed the images from her dream last night to resurface in her mind.

* * *

It had been one whole day since she had found the solution to the mating issue. But still, she could not come to terms with what she had to do to break it. Sesshoumaru seemed to sense her distress, and had gone easy on her this morning during their training. He had barely spoken to her all afternoon either, but she could sense that he was just as agitated as she was. The demon was probably just waiting for her to accept his decree to complete the mating.

She swallowed a lump in her throat as she walked down the bamboo-lined hallway, her steps leaden as she worried over her predicament. How could she have known that biting Sesshoumaru on the neck would end up like this? How could she have known that in order to break the bond, they would have to complete the bond in the first place? Meaning that they had to have sex.

She blew a strand of hair out of her face as she slid open the shoji screen and went outside.

Yes, Sesshoumaru was a gorgeous specimen of a male. But that did not mean that she would like to lose her virginity to him. But if she wanted to go home, she had no choice but to do it.

What was more important? Her virginity or going home?

It was a stupid question, she thought irritably. She could not live in the Feudal Era forever, leaving her life in the future behind. She sighed. She did not have any choice, but not for the reasons Sesshoumaru thought. Virginity was overrated anyway, right? She grimaced, knowing that she was simply trying to convince herself to go through with it. The entire thing crushed her little fantasy of losing it to her first love in a romantic setting.

She made a face.

Sesshoumaru was definitely far from romantic. Not to mention he was a demon and was probably considered a completely different species from her. She blanched. The entire thought was just too disgusting for words.

But what was she going to do?

"Kagome?"

Startled, she jumped a little before she turned around. Spotting Katsuo at the bridge, Kagome smiled. "Katsuo! Haven't seen you for a while," she greeted as she walked towards him.

Katsuo grinned. "Well, I've been busy doing real work. Training _real_ warriors and all."

She returned his grin. "I still can beat you. Say, how about a round of sparring?"

Katsuo's eyes softened. "We'd better not. Lord Sesshoumaru would not be pleased."

Scowling, she complained, "Why must everyone _please_ him?"

"It's not that, Kagome. His instinct would not allow any danger to come to you. And if we fight, he will sense it as a danger to you."

"I suppose," she muttered dejectedly.

"Do not worry, Kagome. If you're bored, you can always go to him," Katsuo suggested.

She rolled her eyes. Then, with a wave at the grey-haired general, she headed towards the hotsprings. Since she had nothing else to do, she might as well soak herself to pass time.

When she reached the hotsprings, she glanced around. What was she worried about? Ever since that incident with the warrior falling into the hotsprings, none of the servants or guards had dared to venture close. At least now she would be assured of her privacy.

With that thought, she removed her clothes and exhaled a sigh of relief as she sank into the hotsprings. An impromptu sparring session with Katsuo would have helped her release all the pent up frustration she felt at her current predicament. But Katsuo was right, Sesshoumaru's instincts would have gone mad. And the last thing she wanted was for Katsuo to get into trouble.

Sesshoumaru was sure intimidating when he wants to be, she thought with a scowl.

"Miko."

The shock of hearing the voice of her musings caused her to slip. Eyes widening, she gulped in a mouthful of mineral-laden water before she came up sputtering, bracing herself against one of the half-submerged rocks. This was the second time he walked in on her bath in just as many days.

Once she was upright, she swung around indignantly. "Have you not heard of something called privacy?"

It was only when she saw his eyes raking down her body that she realized her mistake. With a gasp, she dunked herself back into the water, shielding her naked body from his amused gaze. Her eyes narrowed in irritation. How could he just stand there staring at her like he had every right to do so?

However, her traitorous body immediately reacted at his perusal. Unbidden, the memory of their encounter yesterday came back to her. She remembered how his heated eyes had run over her. And how desirable he had looked without his usual icy mask. A surge of molten heat instantly coursed through her veins and her pulse quickened, rendering her speechless.

"We will complete the mating tonight."

His words bypassed her brain and went somewhere else further down, making her pulse jump.

Then her mind finally decided to function. Complete the mating? Meaning that they had to have sex? She immediately tensed. Averting her gaze, she asked uncomfortably, "C-Can you give me more time to think about it?"

"It will change nothing, Miko." His voice was oddly gentle.

She expelled a heavy breath. "I know."

Silence descended upon them.

"I don't know how things work for here, but where I came from, we've been taught to think of the first time as something special."

A short pause followed before he responded quietly, "You will not be disappointed."

Surprised at his words, she flicked her eyes towards him. He sounded almost as if he was trying to reassure her. And for once, she noticed that he was not wearing that disdainful expression. Instead, he was tense and edgy. He obviously hated the entire situation. And unlike other men who would probably jump at the chance of sex, he was reluctant to do so.

He had done nothing to deserve this.

She instantly felt bad. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru," she said softly, staring down at the steaming water. "I really didn't mean for this to happen."

"Hn."

Releasing a heavy sigh, she pleaded, "Give me some time, Sesshoumaru. Please?"

Silence was her answer.

And when she looked back up, he was gone.

* * *

Sesshoumaru despised the odd feeling which refused leave him, even though he had left the miko at the hotsprings half a day ago. The sun had disappeared over the horizon and now, darkness adorned the sky. Still, thought of the miko remained in his mind.

He felt almost…sympathetic towards the miko's predicament. Unlike him, who had rutted with many females in the past, she would be gifting him with something which she should only give her mate. He supposed that she _would_ be gifting it to her mate, however temporary that mate might be.

It had surprised him that she had given in without too much of a fight. He was even more surprised when she had apologized to him. Although she had marked him, he understood that it was unintentional on her part. However, she had chosen to take the responsibility for her mistake.

That, in itself, was baffling.

Most humans would have denied everything and attempt to walk away instead of admitting to their mistake. It was one of the weaknesses which he, Sesshoumaru, despised. One should always take the honorable route.

Much as the miko was attempting to do.

He felt strangely proud of her, although he should have no reason to feel anything towards the wench. After all, she meant nothing to him except for the task he required of her.

Wasn't it so?

Yes, it was so, he decided irritably.

Still, he was reluctant to force the issue. The miko was clearly discomfited by the notion of rutting with him. Although he understood her reservations, his male pride could not help but feel slighted at the rejection. His reaction was unsettling, especially considering that he was not entirely pleased that it had come to this either. The entire notion of rutting to complete a bond only to break it soon afterwards seemed almost _dishonorable._ And it would bring him more dishonor if he chose to force her. Both of them needed to consent in order to emerge from this chaos with their honor and reputation unscathed.

Perhaps he should allow the miko acclimatize herself with the notion. However, he realized that it might take many moons before she was prepared. Such a prolonged delay was not an option as he did not wish to continue experiencing the urges resulting from the incomplete mating mark. And he doubted that the miko wished to be plague by those desires either.

Perhaps he should familiarize her with the notion by some other method. As far as he could tell, she was very innocent to the ways of carnal desire. Perhaps an introduction of sorts would be of benefit. Yes, it would be wise to prepare her for their eventual encounter.

His grimaced. The last thing he wished to do was to place himself close to her. His mind told him that this was necessary. But although the mating instinct urged him to complete the mating, there was another part of him which told him that what he intended to do was wrong.

His lips tightened in determination, brushing away his misgivings. It would be done and he would cease to think about it.

With that thought, he left his sleeping chamber and made his way to the miko's quarters. The flickering light from the lamp which filtered through the washi screen informed him that she was still awake.

Slowly, he slid the shoji screen open.

The miko gasped and instantly jumped to her feet. "What are you doing in here?" she demanded incredulously.

He gestured at the futon. "Sit."

She placed her hands on her hips. "Why?"

This was more difficult than he had anticipated. As always, when it concerned the miko, his instincts and his mind could not agree, reducing him to this deplorable state of uncertainty. He suppressed is annoyance. There was only one thing he could do. He would proceed with this in the manner in which he approached everything in his life; impassively and in control. Deciding not to say anything further, he closed the gap between them.

Words were not necessary. He would simply show her.

Her eyes were large as she stared up at him in bewilderment. "S-Sesshoumaru?"

His throat felt oddly dry, but he ignored it. Instead, he concentrated his attention on the miko. Reaching out, he pulled her to him until she was pressed flush against him.

Unsurprisingly, she began to struggle. "Sesshoumaru! What are you doing? Let me go!"

"Miko," he said softly, his voice sounding odd even to himself.

She immediately stilled.

He inhaled a deep breath. "Just… do not move. You will not be harmed."

She blinked up at him in confusion. Then, without breaking their eye contact, she licked her lips nervously. He felt his blood rush at her small action and his rigid hold on himself slipped a notch. Stifling a groan, he held her shoulders and lowered his head.

A pleasurable feeling jolted through him at the first meeting of their lips. It began as a soft caress, until he gave in to the urge to suckle her bottom lip. He felt the miko gasp, her lips parting in surprise. Without a single conscious thought, he licked the parted seam, tasting her.

It was different from what he had experienced before with others and dimly, he realized that what he was doing was not nearly enough. Sliding one hand down to the small of her back and the other to the back of her neck, he pulled her closer, relishing in the soft moan she emitted. As her arms wrapped around him, he deepened the kiss until she began to respond. As her lips nipped at his with increasing fervor, his arousal heightened, causing him to groan out loud.

Too preoccupied to rebuke himself for his display of weakness, he simply trailed his lips down her jaw towards her neck. Hands clenching against his back, the miko moaned again as he licked her neck, nipping carefully as he did so.

The scent of her arousal mingled with her usual peach scent assaulted his senses, almost dizzying in its intensity. His control slipped another notch.

"S-Sesshoumaru…" she whispered brokenly.

"Hn."

Still, he continued to lave her neck as his hand traveled from her waist up the side of her chest, realizing vaguely that he had betrayed his own vow to approach this event dispassionately. When his palms stroked the side of her breast through her thin yukata, the miko gasped, jerking in his hold.

"Shhh…" he whispered against her neck, but continued to gently stroke her curve. Slowly, he reached out and flicked her nipple with his thumb.

A loud moan escaped her lips as she pressed herself tighter against him. His entire body heated at her inviting motion and he panted against her neck. Giving in to the urge, he cupped her rounded breast fully and kneaded it, feeling her stiffening nub rubbing against his palm. Her movements became more insistent as she clamped her lips on his neck, suckling the mating mark she had given him. He was unable to prevent himself from groaning at the pleasure which shot through him at her action. Moving only by instinct, he grinded his hips against hers in an attempt to relieve the building pressure.

"S-Sesshoumaru…Are we…"

Her words penetrated the haze of desire which clouded his mind. With great difficulty, he pulled away from her slightly. Shifting his hands onto her waist, he leaned his forehead against the top of her head as he attempted to calm his breathing.

He was painfully aroused, but he knew that she was not prepared.

"Not yet," he said quietly.

She looked up at him with a pair of passion-glazed brown eyes. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips bore the evidence of their kisses. He suppressed the urge to take her right there and then.

"You are not prepared," he replied to her unspoken question.

Her eyes lowered. "Oh."

He almost groaned at the unmistakable hint of disappointment in her voice. Hardening his resolve, he released her, but not before he nuzzled her cheek.

"Rest."

With that, he forced himself to leave her chamber and the tantalizing scent of her arousal.

* * *

Sesshoumaru shot straight up in his bed, his heart beating erratically in his chest.

He was painfully hard.

With a growl of frustration, he lashed out at the nightstand beside the bed, sending it crashing to the floor.

Ever since he had returned from Rin's place earlier, he had not been able to clear the thought of the miko from his mind. He had attempted to escape it by simply taking a rest, however, his dreams were filled with her. Worst still, this particular dream was not one he was likely to forget anytime soon. If it continued in this direction, it was clear that he and the miko would surely end up completing the bond.

Closing his eyes, he willed himself to calm down.

The dreams of the past were more intrusive than he liked, making him feel things which he should not feel. He despised his lack of control over it.

He refused to believe that he could forget his past. Perhaps if he forced it, he could recall the memories instead of waiting for them to return to him in the dreams. He needed to find out more, because it was imperative that he confirmed the identity of the pup before he confronted the reincarnated miko again. Questions needed to be answered and at the moment, he had no grounds to broach the subject of the pup.

Settling down on his bed, he leaned back and closed his eyes. Recalling the last dream, he allowed the images of the miko to resurface in his mind.

At first, the image simply stayed there.

Then, as his anticipation grew, Sesshoumaru felt his subconscious responding.

* * *

(t.b.c.)

A/N: Yes, that's it. I hope you've enjoyed that enough to drop me a review. Thanks!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Hello, everyone! I'm back from my 3 weeks vacation overseas. I'm sorry for not updating sooner, but the sun and sea kind of made it hard for me to focus on writing...:P. Oh, and I saw Nemo while snorkeling. I was so excited that I almost choked in a lungful of water! Anyway, back to the story. Your reviews were most encouraging, and I thank you sincerely for them. This is the longest chapter so far and as always, I hope that you will all enjoy it.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 9**

Once again, it was time for him to fulfill his duty to his lands.

Donning his attire with efficient moves, Sesshoumaru then proceeded to leave his sleeping chambers. He would complete the patrol of the rest of his lands today, considering that he had only managed to cover half the last time he had done so. The mating mark had made it impossible for him to be apart from the miko even for that one single day and he did not wish to be interrupted by their mating mark once she found him absent from the castle. This made it necessary for him to inform her each time he left, something which irked him greatly.

His lips tightened at the thought of the pending patrol as he made his way out of the castle, intent on finding the miko. Undoubtedly, the patrol today would suffer the same fate as the previous ones. However fast he traveled, it was simply not possible to thoroughly inspect his lands in just one single day.

A movement out of the corner of his eyes caught his attention and he turned. The miko was seated on the wooden platform surrounding the castle, talking animatedly with two of his inuyoukai guards. As if sensing his attention, his guards straightened with identical looks of unease and subtly stepped back from the miko.

The image of the miko brought back the memory of the previous night, the second night which he had approached her with the intent of familiarizing her with carnal acts. Although still somewhat nervous, she had responded more passionately than he had anticipated. It was clear that she understood his intention, even without him explaining his sudden physical interest in her. That very fact reinforced the fact that she was not unintelligent.

The mere memory of just how she had responded brought him a sense of anticipation for their next encounter and an answering call from his flesh. Perhaps it would be wise to ensure that such events occur more frequently. After all, the faster she acclimatized to it, the quicker they could complete the mating and break the bond, he told himself. It had nothing to do with the fact that he relished the touch of her skin against his, or the scent of her arousal, or the soft whimpers of need emitted from her lips.

Irritated by such notions, he shook himself inwardly, willing himself not to indulge in further thoughts of the miko. It would not do to form any attachment to the human wench. He would not allow himself to be weakened by such a thing.

With a graceful leap, he crossed the distance and landed close to the miko and his guards.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," his guards greeted respectfully. Then they retreated discreetly.

The miko looked up at him, her expression turning wistful as she asked, "Going out on patrol again?"

"Hn."

"I see."

The look she wore unsettled him, reminding him that she had not been outside the castle walls for more than two months. A twinge of what felt like guilt jolted through him. Perhaps he had been too harsh in restraining her movements. After all, she had not attempted escape for a considerable time now.

A solution suddenly presented itself. One which would allow the miko to travel and for him to complete his patrols without the unwanted interruption of the mating mark.

Before he could reconsider the sudden notion, he asked, "Miko. Do you wish to venture outside the grounds?"

Her eyes widened in obvious disbelief as she stood up slowly. "You're telling me you're going to let me go?" she asked, incredulity lacing her words.

Did she really think that he intended to release her? Perhaps he had been too generous in his assessment of her intellect. "No," he said flatly.

An irritated scowl appeared on her face. "Then what is it?"

He fought the urge to frown at her expression. Instead, he chose to wear a disinterested mask when he explained, "You will accompany this Sesshoumaru on patrol."

Lips parting, she gasped, "You want me to go with you?"

Did she not hear his words? He disliked repeating himself and he had no intention of doing so this time. Therefore, he simply stared at her silently.

"Really?" she repeated in a hush.

"Miko…" he bit out, realizing that she would not cease her questions. "It is not necessary for this Sesshoumaru to repeat himself as you've obviously understood."

Slowly, a grin stretched across her expression. "Then what are we waiting for?"

His lips twitched at the sudden brightening of her countenance. It appeared that she was more than eager to leave the castle. However, there was something she must do prior to departure. He raised a brow at her attire. "You are not suitably dressed."

The miko glanced down at a green and white kimono which he did not remember providing her. It seemed that one of his servants or guards had chosen to present her with the fine garment. A stab of annoyance coursed through him when he realized that all he had only instructed Natsumi to provide the miko with sleeping yukata and training garments. Was he annoyed because he had not anticipated her needs or that others had done so before him?

Eyes flashing brightly, she laughed, oblivious to his thoughts. Sesshoumaru blinked in surprise when the sound sent a pleasurable tingle down his spine. He stiffened his posture, unsure what to make of the odd feeling.

"I'll go change into one of my miko outfits," she said exuberantly. After taking two hurried steps in the direction of the castle, the miko paused. With a sheepish look on her face, she asked, "Would that be alright?"

"Hn."

The rapid pattering of her tabi-clad feet grew softer and she disappeared from his sight. Only then did he blink. Her question had surprised him. The fact that she had sought his approval on such a mundane matter gave him an odd feeling of… pride? He frowned, not comprehending why such a small action was significant.

It was not long before she returned to him wearing her usual miko attire.

He held out his hand to her. It was only after her brief hesitation in accepting it that he realized such action seemed too familiar, too intimate, for them. However, he retained his hold on her hand until they ascended into the sky, with the miko gasping in surprise at the flight. Once they had reached a suitable height for travel, he released her hand and encircled her small waist with his arm, holding her securely against him. After an initial awkwardness, she eventually relaxed against his armored chest. They traveled for a while in silence.

A gasp from her drew his attention.

"Sesshoumaru, look!" she exclaimed.

He directed his gaze in the direction she was pointing at. There was a small lake in the distance, surrounded by a wall of tall trees. The light from the sun filtered through the leaves and branches to hit the calm surface of the water, making it appear as if the lake was shimmering. He admitted that it was, indeed, a pleasing sight, although he had not bothered to ponder upon it before.

"Isn't it pretty?" she whispered in awe. "Everything looks so different from up here."

He allowed himself a small smile at her enthusiasm. "Indeed."

With they continued with their journey. Their companionable silence was only broken occasionally by her exclamation of wonder, at which he found rather amusing.

Perhaps he should allow her to accompany him on future patrols, he mused.

* * *

Kagome smiled softly as she looked past the fluttering white silk towards the open landscape. The sun was setting and the sky in the horizon was streaked with hues of orange and red, a sight she knew she had never seen in Tokyo. Right there and then, she promised herself that when she returned to her era, she would make a point to find such a sight. Surely there was somewhere in Japan where nature was protected well enough to allow one to indulge in such beauty. 

Yes, she would try another escape when this whole mating bond thing was broken.

But first, they had to mate.

Surreptitiously, she glanced up at the demon who held her in his arms. Immediately, her body flushed at the recollection of what he had coaxed out of her last night. Not that she had not done anything.

She sighed inwardly.

She should be mad that he was taking such liberties with her body, but it was not as if she did not know what he was trying to do. In a way, it was almost…kind of him. He had not said a thing to confirm it, but she knew that he was just trying to get her used to the idea of sex. And he was doing a remarkable job of it because until a few days ago, she had no idea that it felt that good.

It was a scary thought.

How could she enjoy it that much, considering that there was nothing between her and Sesshoumaru except the mutual need to break the accidental bond? Did it mean that she would feel like this with every man who touched her? Or was it just because it was Sesshoumaru?

The cloud under her feet descended suddenly, jolting her out of her thoughts. She tightened her grip around the spikes on Sesshoumaru's armor. When they landed, the cloud dissolved under her feet. The abruptness of the landing made her stagger and in a fit of irritation, she glared at Sesshoumaru, all fond thoughts of his touches evaporating instantly.

"Do you mind giving me a little warning next time?" she sniped.

He only quirked his brow at her, but declined to reply.

She rolled her eyes, figuring that she should be used to his silences by now. Deciding that there was no harm in asking more questions, she went on, "Why are we stopping here?"

"Miko. This location is suitable for our rest."

Her eyes bulged. What did he mean, they would be resting? "We're not going back?" she asked disbelievingly.

He gave her bland look, but there was a flash of impatience in his eyes. "Miko. It is this Sesshoumaru's impression that you wish to travel."

She studied their surrounding. The clearing was small and was bounded by shoulder height rock outcrop, ensuring them of privacy. Privacy, she grumbled silently. For what? Then she flushed when she realized what could happen. But they were out in the open. Surely Sesshoumaru would not decide to start one of their 'practice' sessions again. Especially here, out in the open.

She shook her head, trying to clear the image of their last encounter from her mind.

Back to the current situation. Sesshoumaru was still looking at her with his stoic version of puzzlement. She frowned at their surroundings. Yes, the trees could provide shelter and she _had_ slept on the ground before when she had arrived in this era for the first time. But why did he need to stay for the night?

"Sesshoumaru? Why are we staying out tonight? I mean, you normally return to the castle at night."

The muscle in his jaw twitched. "This Sesshoumaru wishes to complete the patrol."

She blinked. "I don't understand. Haven't you been doing so the last few times? Completing the patrol, I mean?"

His posture was a picture of unease. "Miko. You will cease your questions."

"Typical," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Why could he not just answer her for once?

He gave her a look of disapproval.

"Oh, come on, Sesshoumaru. I promise I won't tell anyone that you broke that promise," she coaxed with a straight face.

Wariness clouded his eyes. "Promise?" he queried.

She bit back a grin. "The promise that you made to yourself that you'll make it difficult for anyone to pry anything out of you." At the tightening of his lips, she lowered her voice and whispered, "I promise not to do anything to spoil that cold and ruthless image you present to everyone around you."

His eyes flickered. "It is not a farce, Miko."

A smile flitted across her lips. "You know, Sesshoumaru… Akiyama told me many things about you. But I don't think he's right. I mean, you're alright…for a demon."

"You know not of what you speak of," he intoned flatly.

She snorted, waving her hand dismissively. It was obvious that he would not be enlightening her on that topic anytime soon. "Fine."

With that, she proceeded to make her way to the large trunk of a felled tree and sat down in front of it. Leaning back, she tilted her head up. She heard the rustle of silk nearby but she did not bother to turn her head. Sighing happily, she as she stared up at the clusters of stars twinkling in her sky. It was never this clear back in her time.

Suddenly she felt a bout of homesickness. Her family must be worried sick by now. But Souta had seen her fall into the well, right? She wondered what they must be thinking. No doubt Jii-chan would tell them some legend associated with the well. And considering what she had seen so far, his tales might have some truth in it after all.

Yawning widely, she lifted her arms out and stretched. Although she had not done a thing except watch as the beautiful scenery rushed by beneath her, she felt oddly tired. She supposed it _had_ been a pretty long day. Her eyelids felt heavy and she allowed them to fall shut.

Before she even realized it, she was fast asleep.

* * *

The chirping of the birds was louder than usual this morning and dimly, Kagome wondered why. However, her sleep laden mind did not wish to work overly hard that morning. She smiled, snuggling deeper into the softness under her cheeks. It was so comfortable, with the furry thing under her cheek, her front and back pressed against a soothing warmth and wait…the strangely sharp and unpleasant feel of something sticking into her thigh. Something which felt like twigs. 

Her eyes snapped open to find a view of the clearing before her. Only then did she remember that she had gone on patrol with Sesshoumaru and had slept outdoors.

"We will continue with the patrol."

Upon hearing his voice, she twisted around to look at the taiyoukai who was at the moment, leaning against the trunk of a tree staring down at her with his usual imperious look. It appeared that she had used him as a pillow for the night. And strangely enough, he did not seem to be offended by it.

Wait a minute, she thought. Sesshoumaru was nowhere near her when she fell asleep last night. She glanced around her quickly, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"This was not where I fell asleep last night," she pointed out, turning her questioning gaze to the taiyoukai.

"Indeed."

She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Sesshoumaru was as talkative as a brick wall. "So? Did you move me…" She glanced down to find that she was using the top of his left thigh as a pillow and her body captured snug between his legs. "…Umm…here?" Maybe it was a better idea if she was to move off him. A blush surfaced when she realized just how close she was to his groin.

His eyes flickered, but his gaze remained fixed on her. The golden orbs then took on a look she had come to recognize as lust. Her throat instantly went dry.

"Sesshoumaru…" she whispered, feeling an instant increase in her body temperature.

Then she let out a squeak of surprise when he hauled her up higher against him. Her arms immediately went around his neck to balance herself, but before she could take a breath, his lips swooped down to claim hers. Mind clouding, she moaned as his tongue played with hers, teasing her while his hands swept down her back to cup her.

A growl sounded from him and the sound sent shivers up her spine, making her arch backwards as he trailed his lips down her neck. The lapels of her top parted under his encouragement, and she looked down with glazed eyes to find that he had attached his lips to the swell of her breast. She did not know if the rapid beating in her chest was due of the anticipation of what he would do next, or that she feared what he would do next. Whatever it was, it did not prevent her from threading her fingers through his hair, reveling in the silky feel of it.

Suddenly, his eyes met hers.

To her befuddlement, the golden orbs sparked in what could only be described as anger.

"What?" she asked hesitantly. Did she do something wrong? Slowly, she extricated her fingers from his hair.

Then she found herself tossed off him. For a moment, she just sat on her behind, staring up from the ground at the taiyoukai who was now towering over her. It did not take long for her annoyance to set in.

"Hey! What's your problem?" she yelled indignantly, jumping to her feet. What was wrong with him? Passionate one moment and angry the next.

"Silence," he ground out icily, his eyes focused on a point in the distance.

Kagome closed her mouth, surprised at his tone. Something was off, she thought. Sesshoumaru was wearing a very intent look. Only then did she realize just how silent it was around them. Nervous, she crept sideways until she reached Sesshoumaru's side. The taiyoukai still stood immobile, as if waiting for something.

The soft sound of shuffling reached her just as three humans made an appearance. One older man stood between a young woman and a young man, all of them clad in what looked like tight warrior outfits. Their faces were half covered with masks, leaving only their eyes visible.

"Demon!" the young man shouted. "You will release the miko and leave this place immediately."

Kagome's eyes widened in alarm. That was definitely not the sort of thing to say to Sesshoumaru in his own lands. Hang on. Were these people the demon slayers they had argued about weeks ago?

The taiyoukai simply stared at the newcomers. Then his lips curled in derision, exposing his sharp fangs. "Insolent humans. You dare to trespass into the Western Lands?"

The older man stepped forward, appearing undaunted by Sesshoumaru. "We are demon slayers. And if you don't want to be slain, you will leave now."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Recognizing his fury, Kagome instantly held her hands up, stepping between Sesshoumaru and the three humans. "Wait! I think there is some misunderstanding here."

"Miko. You will step back," Sesshoumaru instructed tightly.

The young warrior gave her a look of concern. "Don't worry, Miko. We will free you from this demon," he reassured loudly.

"No! Listen to me. You are on his lands," Kagome explained urgently.

The young woman beside the warrior frowned. "It does not matter whose land this is. We won't tolerate demons taking a human miko as a prisoner."

At that, Sesshoumaru issued a growl and Kagome winced. Technically, she _was_ a prisoner, and she wanted nothing more than to go home. But not like this. Especially considering the improving relationship between her and Sesshoumaru. If she were to leave, it would be by some other way.

"Enough talking!" the older man said harshly. "Sango, you'll rescue the miko while the two of us take care of the demon."

The young woman nodded firmly. "Yes, Father."

Kagome's jaw dropped in horror as the older man drew his blade and readied himself in a battle stance while Sesshoumaru simply stared on, looking almost bored. He wouldn't really kill these humans without a single remorse, would he? Kagome thought with growing trepidation. Surely he was just planning to scare them off.

She gasped when the two male demon slayers rushed forward. But before she could say anything, Kagome suddenly found herself pulled to the side, away from Sesshoumaru. Her eyes landed on the one responsible for her current position. It was the young woman, the one called Sango.

"Hey!" Kagome protested.

"Miko. Don't worry. Everything will be fine," Sango said kindly.

Kagome resisted the urge to groan. They were only doing what they think was right. But in this case, it was really a misunderstanding. And she had to make them understand it.

It suddenly occurred to her that this was exactly what she wanted, to be rescued from her so-called imprisonment. Only now did she realize that at some point in the past weeks, she had stopped thinking about it as an imprisonment. Not that she did not want to go home. And anyway, bonded as she and Sesshoumaru were, it would not be the best idea to leave. Not to mention that in order for them to successfully rescue her, they had to at least knock Sesshoumaru out.

She shivered at the thought of Sesshoumaru being injured. No, she did not want them to hurt him. And she did not want him to hurt them either. But this battle looked as if it was getting really serious and eventually, someone would lose or get hurt. Although she had been on the receiving end of it before, Sesshoumaru's whips now seemed more lethal than she remembered. And from the looks of the demon slayers, they were obviously skilled in fighting.

"Look, tell them to stop!" Kagome urged, grabbing the other woman's arm for emphasis.

Sango frowned. "The spell must be strong, if you're still concerned about the demon."

Kagome exhaled a sigh of exasperation. She needed to do something to stop. Turning away from the battle, and trying to ignore the sounds growls and the battle cries, she pressed on insistently, "There's no spell. Sesshoumaru and I…we are mated."

Sango's eyes widened. "What?" she whispered in disbelief, as she lowered her large boomerang.

Kagome flushed. This was getting to be just a little uncomfortable. Obviously, matings between humans and demons were frowned upon in this era. Not wanting more questions, she said quickly, "Just go, alright? I'll be alright. You see-"

Sango suddenly gasped, her eyes rounding as she stared past Kagome's shoulders. "NO!" she yelled, rushing past as she did so.

When Kagome spun around and took in what was going on, her blood ran cold. Nothing at all had prepared her for the sight of Sesshoumaru carelessly tossing the limp body of the young demon slayer away from him.

"Sesshoumaru…no…" Kagome whispered disbelievingly as she stared at the young man who had vowed to rescue her. He was bent at an odd angle against a tree and from the amount of blood covering him, she did not think that he could still be alive.

She spun towards Sesshoumaru. "Why?" she demanded, horrified by what she had seen. Unknowingly, she took a step away from him

The taiyoukai regarded her stonily. The only movement he exhibited was the hardening of his eyes as she took yet another step away from him.

"Miko. Come with us," the woman called Sango urged. She was now beside the older demon slayer, who was carrying the body of the younger man on his shoulders.

"This demon is dangerous, Miko," the older man added.

Kagome looked back and forth between the humans stood to her left and the taiyoukai on her right, torn between running away from Sesshoumaru and running back to him. He had just murdered the young man ruthlessly, without blinking an eye and without any remorse. Was he truly a monster? But they way he treated her so far said otherwise. One day, would he treat her life as brutally as he had done the young mans? What should she believe?

"Miko. It would be foolish to leave with them," Sesshoumaru told her in an icy voice, but made no move to retrieve her. However, she did not miss the tightly coiled tension in his body. It was strange how well she could read his body language, she thought vaguely.

"Miko! Do not listen to the demon! He's trying to trick you!" the older man shouted urgently.

Kagome's lips parted and her breath became shallow. She did not know what to do. What could she do? As long as their mating mark bonded them, she could not leave him, however much his actions had scared her. And whilst she was beginning to have some weird physical attraction towards him, it was not something which was important enough for her to stay in this era voluntarily. These demon slayers offered her an escape, but could she cope with the side-effects of the separation from Sesshoumaru?

Before she could decide, she saw a white blur before her and the next thing she knew, the air was rushing past her at a great speed. She was airborne on Sesshoumaru's cloud, her head pressed against his armored chest while locked in his merciless grip. The gasp which escaped her lips did not prevent her from hearing the loud protests of the demon slayers far under her. Shocked at their sudden ascend, she could only hang on to his arm tightly as the voices grew dimmer with the distance.

Then she felt a rumble under her cheek just as Sesshoumaru spoke above her. "You wish to escape."

She bit her lips. What should she tell him? "N-No…"

A squeak of alarm broke from her when he brought them back down at a breakneck speed. Her feet met the ground with a jarring impact and she stumbled slightly before she righted herself, only to meet a pair of uncompromising golden orbs. It was obvious that Sesshoumaru was less than happy.

"Then perhaps you wish to explain your actions, Miko," he hissed, squeezing her arms for emphasis before he released her abruptly.

She averted her gaze. What should she tell him? "I…um…" Sighing heavily, she admitted, "Alright, maybe I did think of leaving. But I wasn't planning to follow them."

"You wish to leave and subject yourself to the pain caused by the bond?" His tone was hard and uncompromising.

"Of course I don't!" she denied heatedly.

"Your actions proved otherwise," he pointed out coldly.

Lifting her chin, she held his eyes. "No, Sesshoumaru. I didn't choose to go with them."

"Yet you hesitated to remove yourself from them."

"I was confused, alright? It's not like you don't know that I want to go home," she snapped.

He stared at her silently, the coldness in his eyes sending shivers up her spine. This was no longer the passionate demon who made her blood rush with his touches. This was the ruthless demon which Akiyama had told her about.

Kagome gulped as she took a step backwards. "Sesshoumaru. I won't try to escape. I can't, remember? The bond is still there." Then she added under in her mind, at least until the bond was broken.

The taiyoukai's eyes narrowed, but he did not respond verbally.

* * *

Promises. 

Her past self promised not to leave Sesshoumaru.

And her present self had promised Sachimaru that she would not let anyone take him from her.

Both her present and her past self seemed to have this knack of making difficult promises, Kagome thought with a sigh as she glanced at the boy on the swing. Her morning was free and she had brought Sachimaru to the park to play. Sat on a nearby bench, she watched the morning sun glinting off his silver locks as the boy laughed while he challenged gravity with his swings.

No, she would not let Sesshoumaru take her little boy from her.

"Okaa-san! Look!" he shouted gleefully as he pushed the swing harder, building up enough momentum to throw the swing to its highest point.

Kagome's eyes widened in alarm as she shot to her feet. "Sachimaru! Stop that!" she scolded, worried that he might fall and harm himself.

"But it's fun," he whined.

Kagome called forth the most uncompromising look she could summon to her face. To her relief, Sachimaru reluctantly toned down his swings. Not that he had not been hurt before. But considering how energetic the boy was, she supposed it was expected. Fortunately, all his various wounds seemed to heal fast.

Too fast, she thought wryly. But now that she had met Sesshoumaru, it was very possible that Sachimaru might be his, which would mean that Sachimaru possessed demonic abilities. And deep down, she knew that it was more than a possibility. There were too many things about Sachimaru which pointed in that direction; his strength, agility, intellect, intuition and his capacity for healing.

Father or not, Sesshoumaru would know nothing of Sachimaru if she could help it, especially after the dream she had last night. Kagome sighed, slumping slightly as she thought over it. She had not expected Sesshoumaru to be so cold and ruthless. And neither did her past self, it seemed. This new revelation of his character worried her. Or perhaps her past self had simply been too naïve to see him for what he was.

Ever since she had met him at Rin's farm, she had been mulling over the entire idea that she was the reincarnation of a miko who lived five hundred years ago. Was it normal to have dreams of the person one was reincarnated from? She did not think so.

And then there was this niggling doubt in her mind because there was something which just did not fit the picture. If those dreams were simply memories of the person she was reincarnated from, then where does the well fit in? Because the dreams had begun with her falling into the well dressed in her school uniform. Kagome very much doubted that the green and white attire was the norm back then.

Could Sesshoumaru be wrong?

If so, then they were back to square one.

Where did it leave them if she was NOT the reincarnation of the miko?

Whatever it was, until the dream revealed more, there was no way either of them could tell. And anyway, she had something more important to settle at the moment.

Her expression tightened with determination. She needed to avoid Sesshoumaru at all cost. It would be disastrous if he found out about Sachimaru. There was no way she would give up her adopted son to him. Especially now that she knew that Sesshoumaru could be ruthless when crossed. The dream she had about the fight with the demon slayers had proved that much to her.

Yes, it would be best that she avoided him.

But she could not do it alone. And considering how their last encounter had come about, there was only one person she could talk to.

Shiori.

Kagome glanced at her watch. She was not due in for her shift until two hours later but if she wanted to catch Shiori, she had to hurry home now.

"Sachimaru," she called out. "It's time to go home."

"Okaa-san!" he complained, blinking hopeful golden eyes at her. "But we just got here."

Kagome's lips twitched. "We got here an hour ago."

"Another minute, please?" he pled.

Scolding herself for being too indulgent with her son, Kagome smiled and gave him a nod. With a squeal of excitement, he abandoned the swing and rushed towards the monkey-bars. She helped him up until he had a firm grip on the bars before she released him to swing himself from one bar to another.

Another twenty minutes had passed before they left the park and went home.

When Kagome finally made it to Tsukuyo Medical, she noted worriedly that she had only fifteen minutes to catch Shiori. She did not know how the head of the Medical Centre would take her request, but Kagome knew that she had no other choice. Besides, Shiori seemed to be the reasonable type, although her outwardly gentle manner hid the underlying strength in the woman. Kagome supposed that without that strength, Shiori would not have made it to the top of the ladder.

She took a deep breath when she reached Shiori's office. Steeling her spine, she knocked. When Shiori replied, Kagome pushed the door open and hoped that she was doing the right thing. The grey-haired woman looked up from her desk when she stepped into the office. Now that she knew that demons existed, Kagome wondered vaguely if Shiori was one. No woman would voluntarily dye her hair grey and with those bright purple eyes could not be human.

"Kagome," Shiori greeted. "Is everything alright?"

She would save the demon question for later, Kagome decided. Licking her dry lips, she began slowly, "I know about the call yesterday, Shiori."

The woman at the desk stilled. "I see," she said softly, her eyes troubled.

"Why?" Kagome asked.

Shiori did not answer her question. Instead, she asked, "I take it that you know Sesshoumaru?"

"You could say that," Kagome replied dryly.

"Then you should know that he'll manage to get his own way, sooner or later," Shiori pointed out, looking exasperated.

A feeling of desperation coursed through her. She had to make sure that Sesshoumaru did not get his own way when it came to Sachimaru. "Shiori, please keep Sesshoumaru away from me," she pled.

Shiori's lips parted in surprise. Then her eyes clouded with concern as she asked, "Kagome. What's the matter? Did he hurt you?"

Kagome shook her head, and then took a deep breath. "This is really important, Shiori. I can't be near him."

Blinking in confusion, her boss asked, "Why?"

What could she tell Shiori? "It's a long story, but I think Sesshoumaru wants something from me that I can't give."

Shiori's lips twisted wryly. "It must run in the family," she muttered.

"Huh?"

"His brother. Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome echoed. Was that the man she had met when she was temping in IY Media and Entertainment? It must be the same one, because the family resemblance was uncanny.

Shiori waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Forget it." Then she frowned. "Kagome, you need to tell me if anything had happened." She took a deep breath. "I had no choice when he asked me to send you over, but if he harmed you, I need to know."

Kagome shook her head, plastering a reassuring look on her face. "No. He didn't harm me. I can't tell you the reason, but it is best if I don't end up in the same place as him in the future."

"I see." Shiori looked thoughtful for a moment, and then she said quietly, "I'll try my best."

Kagome expelled a relieved breath. "Thank you."

The smile Shiori gave her was troubled.

* * *

Sesshoumaru barely registered the heavy traffic before him as his mind ran over the events that had occurred that morning. 

He had been surprised that he had managed to recall something of what he now knew was his lost memories. The flashes were fragmented, but it was enough to confirm that those so-called dreams were not dreams. Unfortunately, before he could find out if he and the miko had indeed, completed the mating, the shrill ringing on his cell phone had broken the fragile thread.

It was only then that he had realized that it was already noon. He had spent the entire morning submerged in flashes of the past that had eluded him for centuries. Natsumi's call had reminded him that he should be at work, and that Katsuo and Inuyasha had wanted to speak to him regarding the work his spies had done.

Feeling irritable, Sesshoumaru growled in his throat as he pulled into the parking level of Taishou Securities. Much as he wished to continue forcing his memories forth, he knew that an important matter must have occurred for Inuyasha and Katsuo to be in the same room without fighting. For some unknown reason, the two half demons had always been antagonistic towards each other. Inuyasha had claimed that Katsuo was a useless general and when asked, Katsuo had only said that Inuyasha rubbed him up the wrong way.

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened as he exited his car to make his way to the lift. There was no doubt in his mind that once he recovered all his memories, the reason behind the antagonism would surface. As well as the outcome of his odd relationship with the miko of the past. And then, perhaps he would discover the identity of the pup who looked so much like him.

Yes, until he recovered enough memory to satisfy himself, he would refrain from taking any further action on the subject of the miko and the pup.

When he reached his office, Natsumi looked up in surprise.

"Mr. Taishou," she greeted.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head. "Natsumi."

"Inuyasha and Katsuo are in the building somewhere. Shall I call them?" she asked.

"Hn."

Without waiting for an answer, he strode into his office and sat down behind his desk. It did not take long for Inuyasha and Katsuo to appear. The two half demons entered his office, standing a fair distance from each other.

"Oi! Where have you been? I was out since dawn this morning and you slept until what? Noon?" Inuyasha exclaimed incredulously.

Katsuo directed a sideways frown at Inuyasha. "Mr. Taishou shouldn't have to answer to you," he scorned.

Sesshoumaru watched impassively as Inuyasha glared at Katsuo. "Was I talking to you?"

"I'm just pointing out the obvious," Katsuo responded flatly.

"Enough," Sesshoumaru interjected, tiring of the pointless bickering. He did not come to the office to be annoyed by such antics. Raising a brow at Katsuo, he asked, "You have a report for me?"

Katsuo nodded. "I was tailing a suspect and he ended up in Inuyasha's place to meet up with a female."

"One of the hostesses caught a few words from the male and the female."

"Names?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"The male is unknown, but the female is Kagura," Inuyasha said.

"The wind sorceress," Sesshoumaru hissed. Kagura had been a part of Naraku's group for many centuries. So, it was Naraku who was behind all the demonic attacks. The pathetic hanyou obviously wished to be taught a lesson.

"I wonder what they are up to," Katsuo mused.

"Keh! Naraku probably have some stupid scheme to gain more power or something," Inuyasha offered, crossing his arms over his chest. "That idiot!"

"Hn."

Naraku had always been in the background but had never attempted something like this before. The demon had been created when a bandit called Onigumo had allowed himself to be possessed by many different demons. And since then, he had absorbed more and more demons, increasing his powers as the years went by.

Perhaps it was only now that he had gained sufficient strength to consider himself powerful enough for whatever scheme he had in mind, Sesshoumaru thought with distaste. He had always disliked the shady half-demon, but Naraku had kept out of his way, giving him no reason to destroy the hanyou.

Until now, it seemed.

"It sounds like Naraku is definitely involved in the attacks, considering that Kagura was talking about some new poisonous gas," Inuyasha remarked.

Sesshoumaru tapped a claw on his desk thoughtfully before he turned to Katsuo. "Summon Kouga."

Katsuo nodded. "I'll inform him."

Meanwhile the silver-haired hanyou snorted. "You're calling that stinking wolf back? What for?"

"Kouga needs to return to his responsibilities," Sesshoumaru said. With such disturbances and Naraku's involvement, it was highly inappropriate for the wolf to extend his vacation. Naraku was based in the east and the east was Kouga's responsibility.

"Keh! As if he's going to be of any use."

Sesshoumaru leveled a firm look at Inuyasha. "Nevertheless, he will return."

Eyes narrowing maliciously, Inuyasha said, "Say, how about letting me break the news to Kouga. I'm sure Katsuo has better things to do."

Katsuo glared at Inuyasha. "That's my job."

Inuyasha quirked a brow. "Oh? You're not busy enough? Nothing else to do?"

Lips tightening, Katsuo turned back to the seated taiyoukai. "Mr. Taishou. I will be more than capable of carrying out the task you assigned me."

"Do as you wish," Sesshoumaru said dismissively, tiring of the continual bickering.

"Keh!" With that, Inuyasha swept out of the office.

Katsuo gave him a respectful bow before he, too, exited the room. No doubt their bickering would recommence once again, Sesshoumaru thought dryly. It mattered not to him who summoned Kouga. Once Kouga returned to his duties, he would speak to the wolf prince about monitoring Naraku's activities. Naraku must have some plan in mind if he ordered those attacks. No one would be so irrational to expose themselves without reason. Sesshoumaru was certain that soon, the foolish actions of the hanyou would be halted.

In the meantime, perhaps he should explore his lost memories further. His fists clenched in concentration, Sesshoumaru willed his memories to return. His mind resisted for a moment, as if there was something blocking it.

Then it came in a flash and his office faded into the background.

He saw himself returning to the castle with the miko in tow. They had traveled in silence after the incident with the demon slayers. It was clear that the miko was discomfited by his actions. He saw his past self watching the miko's retreating back as she walked away from him, her posture tense.

A ringing sound cut into mind and his office came into sharp focus. Sesshoumaru's lips tightened in irritation. It appeared that he would be once again denied his memories. Retrieving his cellphone, Sesshoumaru glanced at the number and frowned.

"Yes?" he barked.

A rasping sound came across the line, and a chill immediately ran up his body. Then came a choked series of words, "L-Lord S-Sesshou-maru…"

Sesshoumaru grip tightened as the voice registered. The inuyoukai was in charge of the security in Inuyasha's company. "Isamu?"

"A-Attack… bees…"

Bees? Sesshoumaru frowned as he stood up and streaked out of his office past an astounded Natsumi. "You're at Inuyasha's company?" he asked as he took the stairs up to the roof.

"Y-Yes…"

The line went dead just as Sesshoumaru reached the flat roof on top of the Taishou Securities building. In a blink of an eye, he transformed into his energy orb and shot through the sky towards IY Media and Entertainment. The surrounding buildings blurred past him in an unrecognizable mass, but he knew exactly where he was heading. He only hoped that the situation could still be contained. If this was another one of Naraku's attacks, he would see to it that the hanyou suffered.

Reaching his destination a mere minute later, he landed on the roof. Extending his claws, he melted the door which stood in his way and flew down the stairs until he reached the main level, his acute hearing catching the increasing sound of buzzing as he did so.

Expanding his senses, he detected the presence of the employees. And from their slowed heartbeats, they were evidently unconscious. His lips tightened in anger as he detected the presence of another demon. Flexing his hands in readiness, he melted the door and stepped into the office.

A purple haired demon, human in all appearances, stood facing him with a placid look on his face. A large group of bees swarmed around him, apparently awaiting instructions. At his entry, the strange demon blinked in surprise. "I see…reinforcements?" he uttered curiously.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. Although he did not take his eyes off the demon, he could see the prone bodies of his employees scattered about. "Your actions will cost you your life," he intoned icily.

"There is no need for threats so early in the day. And you are Sesshoumaru, I presume. I'm Goshinki," the demon introduced calmly.

The demon's scent seemed familiar. Then it dawned on Sesshoumaru that the scent reminded him of Naraku. So, this was the hanyou's doing after all. On second thoughts, perhaps it would be wise to keep this demon alive for a moment longer. Until he outlived his usefulness, of course.

Goshinki's eyes gleamed as he raised his hands. The bees immediately darted forward.

"Pitiful," Sesshoumaru sneered as he extended his whip. With no one to observe, the taiyoukai concluded that it was safe to use his demonic powers. One by one, the bees exploded in the air at the contact with his whip. "Do you think that such a weak attack would suffice?"

Goshinki growled angrily as he glanced at the dead bees. "Maybe I underestimated you." Then his eyes sharpened. "I see. You already have your suspicions. You think I can't tell?"

Sesshoumaru stiffened. Did this demon have the ability to read minds? In which case, he needed to be more cautious.

"You will not be getting anything out of me," Goshinki growled.

Sesshoumaru declined to reply. Instead, he raised his whip and snapped it towards the other demon. Anticipating the attack, Goshinki immediately launched himself to the side, swinging his claws towards Sesshoumaru as he did so. The hand was immediately sliced into two by the whip, but to Sesshoumaru's annoyance, the appendage crawled back and reattached itself to the smirking demon. Once again, Goshinki attempted another attack using his claws.

This demon was powerful, but not enough, Sesshoumaru thought as he sidestepped the attack. Extending his fingers, Sesshoumaru released a stream of poison at the demon. Although Goshinki managed to avoid being hit, the poison melted the concrete floor, forming a hole through which the demon fell through.

Sesshoumaru immediately followed him through the hole to the floor below.

Goshinki snarled as the shock of the fall caused him to reveal his true form. A pair of sharp horns appeared on his forehead while his lips stretched into a gaping jaw filled with sharp fangs. His body expanded and elongated, breaking out of his human disguise. Red eyes glared at him.

Sesshoumaru's lips curled. "You're merely a lowly oni," he intoned derisively.

With a roar of outrage, Goshinki charged. Keeping his thoughts hidden, Sesshoumaru darted to the side before bringing down his whips. The oni's eyes widened a fraction before the whip landed on his back. He snarled in pain, but was undeterred. Instead, Goshinki chose to launch himself forward.

Sesshoumaru hid a smirk. The oni's anger was affecting his concentration. A common mistake amongst common demons. He extended his whips again, but this time, Goshinki managed to avoid it and in retaliation, he charged angrily towards Sesshoumaru. A stream of poison shot out of Sesshoumaru's claws but the oni did not stop, even though the bones of his left arm was visible through the mess of poison and melted flesh.

Unheeding of his own life, Goshinki simply continued to charge. Then with an unexpected twist, the oni was by Sesshoumaru's side with his fangs bared.

The sharp teeth sank into his left arm, and to his horror, Sesshoumaru felt the breaking of his bones. Impossible, he thought even as he sank his claws into Goshinki's throat. The oni released another roar before the red light dimmed from his eyes.

When the oni fell lifelessly to the floor, Sesshoumaru stared at him with disgust. Ignoring the pain in what remained of his left arm, Sesshoumaru switched his attention to his lifeless limb which was still held between the oni's fang.

Although he was outraged by the insult done to his person, Sesshoumaru realized that if the oni's fangs could break his arm so easily, then they must be powerful. If one decided to forge a blade from those fangs, the blade would be powerful indeed.

He glanced down at the stump of his left arm, not unduly concerned about it. Centuries ago, it would have taken him many decades to regenerate his arm, but Shiori would be able to attend to it in matter of days. Kneeling down, he removed the detached portion of his limb from Goshinki's fangs and set it to one side. With a swipe of his claws, the oni's head was severed from his body. As Sesshoumaru inspected the fangs, he allowed a small smile to cross his lips.

Yes, the fangs would do well as a demonic blade.

Standing up with the oni's head in his remaining hand, Sesshoumaru glanced around, assessing the damage. It was obvious that the damages done could not possibly be of human origin, he noted irritably. He needed to summon Shippou to mask the damages with an illusion until the place was repaired.

Yes, he would do so before he informed Shiori of the requirement for the medical services.

* * *

Kagome fidgeted anxiously as the ambulance approached IY Media and Entertainment. She glanced out of the ambulance window at the other two ambulances as the building loomed closer. Things must be bad if they needed three of them, she thought with trepidation. 

When the emergency call had arrived, Shiori had given her an odd look, but to Kagome, it did not matter that Inuyasha's company was related to Sesshoumaru. All she could think of was Yura and Isamu and all the other employees she had gotten to know while she was temping there. She needed to go. She needed to find out if they were alright.

The moment the ambulance stopped, Kagome rushed out with Moriko close beside her. To her surprise, the moment she stepped into the building, the first person she saw was the host from the demon carnival, the one called Shippou. What was he doing here? He seemed fine, although he was turning around as if to check his surroundings. The offices seemed intact, from what she could see.

Then her eyes landed on the unconscious forms of the employees. Everything else fled from her mind as she and the other paramedics knelt down to check on them. Her hands shook a little when she swept Yura's short hair out of her face and then checked her pulse. It was beating strong, Kagome noted with relief, even though Yura seemed a little pale and cold sweat beaded her brows. Not far away from her, she saw another paramedic checking Isamu over.

"They are all alive," the paramedic declared. "But I think they've been poisoned. We need to get them to the medical centre."

Kagome stood up. "Let's get them onto stretchers."

Moriko nodded at the door. "Manten is bringing them in."

Spinning around, Kagome walked away to retrieve a stretcher from Manten when a movement out of the corner of her eyes caught her attention. Her steps immediately faltered when she took in a familiar form.

"You!" she exclaimed incredulously.

The figure did not turn around, but she could see the slight stiffening of his shoulders.

Her lips tightened as she strode up to him. "This had better not be another thing you planned," she said to his back. The demon was abusing his powers, using the emergency services as and when he pleased. But she doubted he would go as far as to harm so many people, or maybe they were demons. Would he?

When he turned around, her eyes lowered and she gasped in horror at his tattered, bloodstained sleeve. Where was his left arm?

"S-Sesshoumaru…" she whispered unsteadily as she took a few steps closer to him. "Your arm…Oh, Kami…" she mumbled, then raised her eyes up to him. How could he just stand there like nothing was happening when his entire arm was severed? She forced back a feeling of nausea when she saw that he held the severed arm in his other hand. If she had any doubts, this would certainly confirm that Sesshoumaru was really not human.

He quirked a brow. "You appear to be concerned, Miko."

"Concerned?" she echoed dumbly. Then she gestured at his arm. "How can you just stand there? Let me get you into the ambulance."

Eyes flickering, he stared at her and said, "It is not necessary. You will attend to the rest."

Her lips tightened. There he was again, ordering her about. "Don't be so stubborn. There's enough space for everyone. Come on, Sesshoumaru. Just get into the ambulance. You can't be walking around like that."

A contemplative look crossed his face, one which sent warning bells ringing in Kagome's head. When he spoke, his tone was moderated. "I will agree to it on one condition."

"What?" she asked cautiously.

"That you will share your dreams of the past with me."

"WHAT?" she exploded. Just how much more sneaky could he be? "NO!"

He simply turned away from her and began to walk away.

Kagome stared at him disbelievingly. What sort of bargain was this? She did not want to tell him about her dreams but she could not very well let him leave like that. What should she do?

"Sesshoumaru, wait!" she called out.

His steps slowed. "Do we have an agreement, Miko?" he asked, turning around slowly.

Kagome bit her lips, her eyes going to the puddle of blood forming next to Sesshoumaru's feet. Her past self's feelings for the taiyoukai must have transferred across to her if she felt this concerned for Sesshoumaru. But she just could not bear to see him walk away hurt like that.

If she was careful and just spoke of the dreams and nothing else, there was no reason for Sesshoumaru to suspect that she had a son who looked like him. Right?

Taking a deep breath, she raised her eyes.

Brown locked with gold.

She was about to say yes.

Until she saw the gleam of smug satisfaction in his eyes. Riled at his presumptuousness, her lips tightened. Who did he think he was, manipulating people left, right and centre? Shiori's face immediately came to mind. No, she would not be one of his pawns. She would not buckle under pressure. How could she defend Sachimaru if she backed down so easily? And if he chose to abuse his powers and get her sacked from Tsukuyo Medical, she could always find another job. It would not be as good as working there, but at least she was not under the constant threat of Sesshoumaru being close by.

Anyway, if Sesshoumaru was not concerned about his own arm, then he must know that it would be fine. His demonic healing abilities would probably take care of it in no time.

As he continued to regard her silently, she could see the gradual replacement of his smug expression with one of wariness. "Miko…" he said cautiously.

Lifting her chin, she declared firmly, "Either come with us in the ambulance or not. It's your choice, Sesshoumaru. I'm not going to make any deals with you."

His eyes hardened instantly.

Without another word, she turned around and walked away from him.

* * *

t.b.c. 

A/N: It feels nice to be posting again. I missed it! Updates will be back to normal, i.e. every 5 days or so from now on. I hope you've enjoyed the chapter and any reviews would be appreciated. Thanks!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing! Here's the next chapter and I hope that you will enjoy it! And oh…please note the rating:P as this chapter contain adult themes.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 10**

The paramedics rushed around him, loading the injured demons and half demons onto stretchers, but Sesshoumaru's focus remained on the rigidly held form which was walking away from him.

He stared at the miko's retreating back with mixed emotions, watching her as she assisted other paramedics. He was incensed that she had the audacity to walk away from him. In addition to that, she had the nerve to reject his offer for a deal. The fact that she had once again denied him her dreams irked him greatly.

Then there was this odd feeling in him, a feeling which he did not want to name, one which coursed through him when she had stood up to him. Perhaps he did not want to put a name to it because it felt suspiciously like admiration. She had seen through his attempt at manipulating her and had been strong enough not to relent. There was a notable lack of living being who dared to do so.

He did not know if he was more incensed at the fact that she had dared to defy him or that he had allowed her to do so. It occurred to him then that this miko might prove to a little more troublesome than the one in the past. This miko was not a gullible teenager, but an adult. One which appeared to know exactly how to irk him.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He turned around to find Shippou regarding him questioningly. Then the kitsune turned a pair of intelligent green eyes towards the miko. Inclining his red head in her direction, he asked, "Is that the miko who visited?"

Sesshoumaru gave the curious kitsune a sidelong glance before turning his attention back to the miko. Rin must have told Shippou about that little incident. "Hn."

"Who is she?" Shippou asked.

"No one you should be concerned about," Sesshoumaru replied flatly. His business with the miko was personal and it would remain so. He did not wish to hear the questions or the gossips from his extended family or his employees.

Shippou's brow rose. "I see." Then he gestured at their surroundings. "This illusion would hold for three or four days, so the office can run normally while we get someone to fix it."

Sesshoumaru wondered how that could be possible considering that most of the employees were currently incapacitated. He felt an onset of a headache. Naraku was becoming more of a nuisance than he had anticipated. He thought of the oni's head in the bag beside him. Defeating Naraku with a blade forged from one of his own had a certain appeal to it. He could put it to good use by slicing off the hanyou's head, he decided with a smile.

Shippou gave him a wary look. "You're smiling."

"Indeed."

Shaking his head slowly, Shippou muttered, "That can't be good."

Sesshoumaru did not think that the comment merited a reply. He dropped his severed arm onto the bag containing the oni's head, noting dispassionately that blood had stopped leaking from it at some point.

Beside him, Shippou shuddered. "That's just…disgusting."

"Hn." It was merely his arm.

Reaching down, he picked up the bag as well as his arm. A twinge of pain shot through his left side at the motion, reminding him that it would be wise to pay a visit to Shiori soon. He grimaced. The permanent loss of one arm would be an inconvenience he did not need.

Inclining his head at Shippou, Sesshoumaru spun around and made his way back to the stairwell. As he did so, he caught sight of the miko again. Standing still over a stretcher, she was staring at him with an expression akin to guilt, until she noted the direction of his gaze and quickly turned away. Curious, he thought. What was the reason behind her guilt? Had it been caused by their conversation earlier?

Brushing away his musings, he continued into the stairwell and ascended until he reached the roof. Once again, he employed his energy orb to travel. With the bag and his hand tucked securely at his side, he streaked through the sky to Tsukuyo Medical and landed on the roof.

Once there, he headed towards a hatch which hid a private access which led straight to the back of Shiori's office. On the other side of the hatch was a large chute, and only he and a few other demons knew about it. Opening the hatch, he jumped in. His long hair streamed behind him as he dropped down, landing on a solid floor moments later.

The sound of approaching footsteps and a familiar presence reached him. Shiori must have heard him land, he concluded as he pushed the door open. As expected, the bat hanyou was standing in front of him, looking frazzled.

"What happened to you?" she snapped, closing the distance between them. "Kagome called to say that you just left Inuyasha's company with a terrible wound."

So, the miko had been concerned enough to contact Shiori. He felt an odd wave of warmth washing over him at the thought. Perhaps she had felt guilty about leaving him to his own devices. Dropping the bag and his arm between them, Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. "I presume she was referring to my arm."

Shiori's eyes rounded as she stared at his lifeless arm. Then she looked up with a scowl. "One day, your arrogance is going to cost you more than an arm."

"Unlikely."

Shiori snorted. "Come on, lets get your arm fixed," she said, directing him to a hidden room off her office.

The room resembled a surgery, but one used only when the patient needed utmost privacy. Once there, she gestured for him to lie down on the platform and made a few calls. He dropped the bag containing Goshinki's head by the shelves. As Sesshoumaru settled himself on the padded platform, he scanned the room, noting the medical equipment surrounding him. In addition to the human equipments, there was also a wall lined with shelves of demonic potions and tools.

Soon, he sensed the approach of another demon, one which he recognized. It was Ikazuchi Souten, the youngest of the Thunder demons. Sesshoumaru glanced in her direction when the thunder demoness stepped in, bearing an armload of potion and a clay canister. She was dressed for surgery and her hair was tied back with a short braid trailing down her back.

"Mr. Taishou," she greeted politely.

"Hn."

She stepped closer and placed her load on the trolley beside him as Shiori stepped up to them. "Souten will fix your arm. She's the best surgeon we have here."

He gave Souten a nod. "You may begin."

"I'm going to put you under anesthetics," Shiori said, reaching for a syringe.

"That would not be necessary," Sesshoumaru said in a clipped tone. He would not allow himself to be unconscious in such a vulnerable position. Any pain resulting from this operation could be handled without the anesthetics.

Shiori's lips thinned in disapproval. "Sesshoumaru…"

"Begin," he instructed firmly, turning away from the irritated hanyou.

With a huff, Shiori spun around and left. After her departure, Sesshoumaru simply watched as the thunder demoness took his severed arm and inspected it. Placing the arm in a tray, she poured a potion onto it and watched as the liquid seeped into the arm. Appearing to be satisfied at what she saw, she nodded to herself and then turned to him.

"I need to cleanse…" she paused, gesturing at the mangled stump on his left side.

He nodded his assent.

Picking up a handful of swabs, she drenched them in a potion and began to dab it around the stump, cleaning off the dried blood as she did so. Sesshoumaru forced himself to ignore the burning pain as the potion seeped into his raw flesh.

"I'm going to place it back into position now, Mr. Taishou." She hesitated a little before she added, "You may wish to remain motionless."

"Hn."

Carefully, Souten lowered the arm to his left side and positioned it where it should be. Sesshoumaru watched impassively as she placed her hands over it, willing himself to ignore the increasing pain. With a quiet rumble and a bright flare of what looked like a lightning strike, sending a jolt through his body, Sesshoumaru felt his flesh bind together.

Souten released the breath she was holding. "Almost done," she told him as she picked up the suture kit. As she proceeded to sew the joint together, she added, "Your arm should stay intact, but this will help hold it together. Just in case."

"Hn."

Once she was finished, she straightened and said, "Be careful with it for the next couple of days."

Sesshoumaru immediately swung his legs off the platform. Striding to the door, he paused briefly and said, "Your assistance was appreciated."

Souten's eyes widened slightly before she nodded. "You're welcome, Mr. Taishou."

He left the medical centre in the manner in which he had arrived, through the chute with Goshinki's head tucked under one arm. Once on the roof, he transformed back into his energy orb and sped towards his home. It did not take long before he arrived at the mansion.

He attempted to flex his newly attached left arm, only to be rewarded by a sharp pain running through it. Perhaps it was too soon to subject it to any use, he thought darkly as he entered the mansion. Immediately, the sound of pattering footsteps reached him. Soon, his diminutive retainer appeared in his view.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Then the toad demon's gaze went to his exposed arm, his eyes bulging at the sight of the sutures. "L-L-Lord S-Sesshou-m-maru? Y-Your a-arm…"

Then Jaken promptly fainted.

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened at his retainer's reaction. The toad demon seemed to be rather fond of overreacting. Holding himself back from kicking Jaken's unconscious form, for it would serve no purpose since he was already unconscious, Sesshoumaru simply strode up the central staircase and then across the hallway to his room.

He was feeling strangely tired, he realized as he commenced his cleansing session. The healing of his arm must be using more energy than he had anticipated. Taking care not to jolt his recently reattached arm, Sesshoumaru quickly finished and made for his bed. Perhaps it was prudent for him to rest.

With that thought, he settled onto his bed and closed his eyes.

* * *

Sesshoumaru's eyes followed the small figure in the distance. 

Two days had passed since the incident with the demon slayers. His discomfort at the entire situation had not left him since and he had found it difficult to be near the miko. What made it worse was that he did not understand his own reaction. It was as if he felt _betrayed_ by her actions.

At the moment, the miko was going through her training routine on her own in the courtyard, her attention completely absorbed in the moves he had taught her. The moves which may very well assist her in a potential escape.

His lips tightened. It appeared that he had made an error in judgment. He had not anticipated that the miko might consider leaving with the demon slayers. The fact that she had not actually done so did nothing to ease the tension in his person. What irked him was the simple fact that she had thought to do so.

Had he not shown her sufficient patience in their predicament?

He could not risk her escaping before the bond was broken.

They would have to mate.

Now.

And it had nothing to do with the fact that he had been anticipating how she would feel like wrapped around him, writhing and moaning his name. Shaking away the image before his body reacted, he stiffened his spine with determination. The miko had had enough of an _introduction_ to the ways of carnal pleasure. From what he could tell, she had taken pleasure in his touches. And now, it was time to do what was necessary.

Decision made, Sesshoumaru closed the distance between him and the miko with one graceful leap. Startled, the miko jumped as she spun around.

"Sesshoumaru!" she exclaimed, placing her hand on her heaving chest. "Don't do that again."

Did the miko really think that he would obey her instructions, he wondered incredulously.

"What's wrong with you the last two days anyway? You barely said a word to me," she pointed out with a scowl.

"This Sesshoumaru was not aware that you require conversation," he replied levelly, surprised that she did not seem at all affected by what had happened two days ago.

Did this mean that she had no intention of escaping after all? If that was the case, should he still insist on completing the mating this very day? He frowned inwardly. It would make no difference whether the mating was carried out now or later. It had to occur for them to break their bond.

"Miko. You will await this Sesshoumaru's arrival in your chambers this evening. The mating bond will be completed then."

Her lips parted slightly as she gaped at him, drawing his attention to the dark pink flesh. Unable to resist, and incensed at himself for his own weakness, Sesshoumaru dipped his head to meet the inviting flesh roughly. Before she could respond, he pulled back and turned away from her.

"Hey!" her indignant call reached him. "Don't I have a say in this?"

Deciding that her question did not merit a reply, he simply strode away, heading to the hotsprings. It was time for his daily bath, and he would use the time to meditate on the pending mating.

Before he knew it, the sun had set.

It was time.

It would have to be done in her chambers, he thought as he made his way there.

He would not risk carrying this act out in his own chambers. The last thing he needed was to be reminded of their coupling after the breaking of the bond. He frowned, disliking the notion that he was fearful of the effect it might have on him. Surely rutting with the miko would not affect him to such an extent.

Nevertheless, it would be done in her chambers, he decided firmly.

A pair of wide brown eyes stared up at him when he slid open the shoji screen.

"Sesshoumaru?" she stammered as she scrambled to her feet.

Wordlessly, he closed the screen and raised a barrier around the room. If he had to do this, he would do it without any witnesses. Much to his consternation, he felt the rise of his anticipation at the pending event.

"Sesshoumaru…" she called out again as he took a few steps closer to her, his eyes not leaving her face. It was clear that the miko was nervous.

His lips tightened. Even though neither of them wanted this, he had no intention of harming her. Or perhaps she thought that he would be unable to please her? Surely she knew from their past sessions that he was more than capable of doing so. If they had to do this, he would make sure that both of them received pleasure.

"Undress."

Her eyes widened further as her arms shot up to clutch protectively at the lapels of her kimono. He could see her throat bobbing as she swallowed.

"Miko…" he warned. Then, noting the distraught in her eyes, he softened his voice. "This has to be done."

He waited as the trepidation slowly seeped from her expression, to be replaced by resignation and then determination. With a curt nod, she began to untie her obi.

Sesshoumaru felt his body heating up as the obi fell to the floor, loosening the kimono, allowing him to see the valley between her unbound breasts. Without looking at him, she pushed the obi down her shoulders. His mouth went dry as her breast was exposed to him. Her nipples stood proud in the air, taunting him to taste them. Clenching his hands into fists, he tried to still the urge to rush forward.

Piece by piece, silk fluttered to the floor until the miko was completely bared to his gaze. Her face flushed, she stood unmoving, as if she was frozen to the floor. However, he did not miss the slight scent of arousal which emanated from her. And he had not even begun. Yes, he thought, inhaling deeply. The mere thought of the pending event itself had aroused the miko.

"Miko. You will enjoy this."

Her eyes shot up to his. Then her lips twisted as she remarked wryly, "You sound so sure."

He could not help but smirk. "This Sesshoumaru does not doubt his own prowess."

Rolling her eyes, she retorted dryly, "Right."

He closed the distance between them, his eyes running over her curves as he did so. "Have you not been shown the pleasures of the flesh in the past week?" he asked, lifting a single finger to run it from her cheek down her neck to the valley between her breasts.

A choked sound broke from her a moment before her liquid brown eyes glazed over. As if unconscious of the motion, the miko placed her palms on his silk covered chest. He bit back a smirk of satisfaction when she slipped a slender hand between the silk to seek his bare skin. A pleasurable tingle shot though him as she grazed a blunt fingernail against his nipple.

"I think you're a little overdressed," she mumbled, her eyes still fixed on his chest.

"Perhaps you are simply impatient," he returned, raising a brow. "However, this Sesshoumaru will allow you the privilege of undressing him."

Her eyes shot up to his and he could see the amusement sparkling in them. "How generous," she said sarcastically. Nevertheless, it did not prevent her from pulling the silk off his person. When she reached his hakama, she paused. Her eyes widened slightly before she ran a finger down his hardened length through the silk. Sesshoumaru clenched his hands into fists, willing himself to retain control over his body.

"There! All done," she declared shakily when the hakama puddle at his feet.

He could only growl before he pulled her flush against him, reveling in the surprised gurgle which escaped her and the rise of her aroused scent. Slowly, he nibbled at the sensitive skin just under her ear as he allowed his hands to run down her smooth back. Her gasp sounded loud in his ear as cupped her firm buttocks, kneading them gently. The scent of her arousal wrapped around him as his own body hardened.

Pulling away from her neck, he trailed his teeth and tongue down her shoulders to the curve of her breast. He had wanted to do this ever since he had seen her nipples close up for the first time. Not wanting to waste another moment, he extended his tongue and flicked the rosy nub. He watched the nipple tighten before repeated the action, this time following it by clamping his lips around the bud.

The whimper which reached his ears encouraged him to further his ministrations. Her hands gripped his shoulders painfully as he reached up to fondle her other breast. As always, he felt his control slipping as her scent intensified, filling his senses with nothing but her.

"Sesshoumaru…" she called out breathlessly. Then her hands fell from his shoulders to cup him intimately, drawing a growl from him. When she wrapped her fingers around him for the first time, he let out a hiss and began bucking against her slender digits.

Impatient for more, he pulled her hands away only to capture her lips in a possessive kiss. Reaching behind her to press her rounded bottom against him, he grinded his hardened length against her stomach. The friction against her hot skin almost undid him, but he willed himself to maintain control.

Allowing his fingers to run down the groove of her rounded behind, he reach down further until he encountered her slick heat. A burst of male pride washed over him at the reaction he had drawn from her. As the miko writhed against his finger, he pulled his head back to watch her. Her eyes were glazed in passion as she bit her lips to stifle her moans.

Pressing harder against her heat, he hissed smugly, "You want this."

"Unh…Sesshoumaru," she moaned. "You're playing with me."

He brought his other hand to her curls. Without breaking their gaze, he brushed a finger against her hidden nub. She immediately jerked and a hiss of pleasure escaped between her teeth.

"Why do you refrain from calling out?" he asked huskily as he rubbed her slippery nub rapidly, wanting her to vocalize her reactions. At the same time, he pushed a finger into her warm channel.

She issued a throaty moan as her head fell against his chest. "Because I don't want anyone to hear," she panted.

His blood heated further as her inner muscles clenched around his finger. "You need not fear. There is a barrier around the chamber."

With that, he pulled her down to the futon. Ignoring her gasp of surprise, he pushed her legs apart, planting them firmly to the side and lowered his head. Her scent hit him fully then and he bit back a groan. The moment his tongue touched her, he pushed two fingers into her. She arched off the futon, a keening cry reaching him while he lapped at her, tasting her for the first time. His fingers continued to pump rapidly, wanting her to scream his name as he brought her to the peak. Her entire body writhed as she bucked against him frenetically.

Then her body went rigid and her muscles constricted around his fingers.

"Sesshoumaru!" she screamed out loud.

His ears rang at the volume of her voice but the only thing he could think of was to bury himself in the wet slick heat surrounding his finger. Reaching in deeper, he extended one claw and carefully sliced the layer which protected her innocence.

She jerked, her eyes shooting open in shock. "It stings!" she exclaimed, struggling to sit up.

"It will ease the joining," he explained as he withdrew his fingers, now coated with a mix of her juices and blood.

Her lips parted, but she could only stare at him as he rose above her. Splayed before him, her knees bent and her arms open by her sides, he thought she looked like an offering. One which he intended to take.

His voice was tight with barely controlled desire when he spoke. "Turn over."

She did not move. Instead, she just stared at him, as if frozen. Sesshoumaru reined in his impulse to simply force her into position and take her. She was nervous, he realized. Then to his consternation, his senses detected a cloying scent, one which informed him that her nervousness had escalated into fear.

Perhaps he should attempt another method of persuasion.

Lowering himself, he nuzzled her cheeks and was rewarded with a shiver. His lips brushing her ear, he mocked, "Miko, perhaps you're uncertain of your own ability to please this Sesshoumaru?"

A gasp sounded before she exclaimed indignantly, "What?!"

Lips twitching with amusement, Sesshoumaru simply held her down as she struggled to push him off. "Are you?" he asked.

"Let me go! I know I'm inexperienced, but you don't have to insult me!" she snapped, pulling at his hair in an attempt to dislodge him from her.

He raised his head only to meet a pair of blazing brown eyes. She was no longer nervous, he noted with satisfaction. And the cloying scent of fear had departed from her person, leaving an indignant miko glowering at him instead.

Before she could protest, he deftly flipped her to her hands and knees, preparing her for penetration.

"Hey! Don't treat me like a thing," she snapped, turning her head over he shoulders to glare at him, but she remained in the position.

Sesshoumaru's lips twisted in amusement. Running his claws lightly down her back and watching as she shivered in arousal, he said quietly, "Your body is not protesting, Miko."

Ignoring her gasp of outrage and then fixing his attention to her tilted rear, Sesshoumaru suppressed his urge to thrust into her right then and there. Instead, he allowed his fingers to trail down the seam down the middle until he encountered her slick wetness. Her moan of appreciation was instantaneous as he began to caress her with the pad of his thumb.

A needy whimper shook through her as he slipped his fingers into her heat. Yes, she was prepared, he decided. He felt as if his body was attempting to crawl out of his skin, so frustrated he was at the need to hold himself back. And he had no intention of refusing himself any longer.

He pulled his fingers out and placed his tip at her entrance. Sensing the sudden tension in her body, he leaned down until his lips were at her neck, pushing in slightly as he did so. Inhaling her scent, he began to nuzzle her to calm her. It would not do for the miko to panic now, he thought as the justification to his gentle action.

Then he thrust himself fully in her, hearing her gasp at the intrusion. He gritted his teeth, feeling the contraction of her heated walls around his length. It felt better than he had anticipated. And it would feel even better if he was to pump into her. But he knew that he had to remain still to allow the miko time to acclimatize herself. He had promised her pleasure and he had no intention of breaking his words.

"Sesshoumaru…" she whimpered hesitantly.

He tensed in annoyance. Surely she did not expect him to stop now? "Miko. We will not stop until we complete the bond."

"I know," she said, and then he almost groaned when he felt her muscles squeezing him. "But… aren't you going to… umm… move… umm… soon?"

He blinked in astonishment. The miko did not want to stop. She wanted for him to commence. A smirk of satisfaction crossed his lips before he could prevent it. "As you wish, Miko."

Then he withdrew and thrust deeply, eliciting a gasp from her.

Then he did it again, drawing a moan from her.

He closed his eyes, savoring the pleasurable sensation coursing through him as he continued to pump into the miko. Her moans and his groans were inseparable as he sped up. Wanting to feel more of her, he reached down to knead one breast in his palms.

"Sesshoumaru…"

He groaned, feeling the telltale tightness of her around him. She was about to reach her peak. His thrusts became wilder and his mind clouded completely.

"SESSHOUMARU!!" she yelled, convulsing around him.

He was close. Blood roared in his ears at the sensation. With a snarl, his fang elongated. Pulling her shoulders to him, he sank his fangs into the junction between her neck and her shoulder. A pulse of energy shot through him at the contact, triggering his release. As he jerked into her wetness, he dimly felt her blood rushing into his mouth.

The mating bond was complete. He was flooded by everything that was her. His senses pulsed with it, he noted as he withdrew from her. A soft whimper escaped her lips as he turned her to face him, only to find that she was barely conscious, her eyes only half open. She had fainted when she had unknowingly mated him the first time. The fact that she had not done so this time was a testament to her increased inner strength.

"Miko?" he called out softly.

Her eyes fluttered open and the brown orbs looked bewildered for a moment before they focused on him.

"Sesshoumaru…" she whispered. "It was beautiful. Did it work?"

A strange lump settled in his throat. "Rest, Miko…"

A sense of completeness settled over him as he gazed down at her sleeping form. She was his mate. And the act had occurred only because they did not want to be bonded to each other. But he could feel his blood calling out for her, enveloping him with an unfamiliar warmth.

And it vexed him.

* * *

Sesshoumaru opened his eyes to stare right at the ceiling of his bedroom. 

So they had mated.

His memories seemed to return with greater ease in the form of dreams. However, right at that moment, he simply wished that the dream he had woken up from had not been so vivid. Particularly those which left him aching and frustrated, desperately wanting more of a certain miko. Even now, he could almost taste her on his tongue and feel the smoothness of her skin, as if she was right beside him.

He reached up, rubbing the place on his neck where there should be a mating mark, but he encountered nothing but smooth skin.

Something occurred to him then. It was possible that their joining could have produced a pup. However, the event had happened five hundred years ago. The pup he had seen at the carnival was still very much a pup. Although demons grew at different rates, surely after five centuries, the pup would have matured.

He shook it away, deciding that his time was better spent at home to see what other memories he could call forth. Perhaps it would help him to decide what he should do next with regards to the miko and the pup. For the more flashes and dreams he experienced, the more he was convinced that the pup was his.

Forcing himself to concentrate, Sesshoumaru attempted to call forth his memories again. He recalled his past self falling asleep beside the miko and then awakening a short time later.

His blood sang with a strange feeling as he looked down at the sleeping miko. How odd, he mused. Then her eyes opened to stare right into his. The shock in her eyes were clear when he dipped his head to capture her lips in a heated kiss, which then led to further touches and the sliding of bare skin against bare skin. Their touches escalated further and he sank into her with an appreciative groan. Once again, their bodies moved together frantically.

The flashes broke off abruptly as his past self groaned his completion.

Breathing hard at the intense memory of their coupling, Sesshoumaru clenched his fist. He had to force the rest of the memories forth. Closing his eyes, he managed to catch a flash of his past self waking up, followed by his hasty departure at dawn when he realized that they could now progress with breaking the bond.

The flashes broke off again, infuriatingly out of his grasp. Sesshoumaru growled and pounded the wall behind his bed in frustration.

Now that he knew that the mating had occurred, he needed to find out if the pup was indeed the result of his copulation with the miko in the past, however unbelievable the notion might be. After all, more than five hundred years had passed since the event.

Perhaps the miko's dreams were advancing quicker than his. In which case, she might know the answer to his question. Yes, there was a possibility that the miko might hold more useful information.

And he had every intention of extracting it from her, whether or not she was willing.

* * *

They had mated. 

Her past self had mated with Sesshoumaru, Kagome thought as an odd shiver ran up her spine. And she had seen it in her mind with a clarity which astounded her. The thought of it made her blush profusely. The most mortifying thing was that her body kept reacting to the dream in a way she did not expect.

Such things should be kept private, even from one's reincarnation, she fumed irritably.

They had had sex. Which mean that her past self could have gotten pregnant with Sesshoumaru's baby. Which meant that Sachimaru could be theirs. Kagome frowned. Come to think of it, there was some resemblance between Sachimaru and her. Their eyes, for one, were exactly the same apart from his being gold and hers being brown. Where Sesshoumaru's silver hair was straight, Sachimaru's silver hair was a little wavy, like her past self's.

And hers, Kagome added mentally. Then she shook her head quickly. It was just too weird to consider that she was the reincarnation of Sachimaru's mother, which kind of meant that she was effectively his mother. But it would explain the tight bond between her and Sachimaru. But then again, how could that even be possible? Sachimaru was still a child right now whilst Sesshoumaru and her past self had sex five centuries ago.

"Gah!" she exclaimed out loud as she clapped her hands to the sides of her head. All this was too confusing for her to even think about. But she could not keep it from running through her head.

What she needed was more facts and less speculation.

She needed to know more about Sesshoumaru and the dreams.

One lesson she remembered from her dreams – study your enemy well, Sesshoumaru had said to her past self in one of their lessons. And right now, Sesshoumaru was the enemy if there was any possibility at all that he would try to take Sachimaru from her. Her lips twitched. If he knew that she would be using his lessons to try to avoid him, he would not have thought her past self anything.

She had to find out more about Sesshoumaru and she only had one real lead to him. After all, since she was working in a medical centre under Taishou Holdings, that should not be too difficult, right? She had already dug out his records only to find that his address was missing. Anyway, she was reluctant to face him, considering what happened in their last meeting.

A groan interrupted her musings and she turned to the man on the stretcher inside the ambulance. Beside him, another paramedic, her partner, was attempting to still his movements.

"How is he doing?" Kagome asked.

Moriko frowned and shook her head. "Not good. Someone got at him pretty badly."

Kagome eyed the muscular man. "That poison must be pretty strong if it managed to knock down someone like him."

Nodding, Moriko said, "It's not the first time, though."

"What do you mean?"

"This is the second one in this month…or was it the third one? All of them with the same symptoms."

Kagome frowned, remembering the attack at Inuyasha's place a which had happened a few days ago. If someone had managed to hurt Sesshoumaru, it could not be of human origin. And if this poison was the same one as that day, was this an attack on demons in general? Did it mean that Yura and the rest were demons as well?

"Do you think it is all related?" she asked carefully.

Moriko's expression became shuttered. "I don't know, but it is likely. That's up to the lab technicians to find out."

Kagome blinked at her partner's reaction. Maybe Moriko was a demon too and she was trying to keep that fact hidden from her. She could not very well come out and just ask Moriko if she was a demon. It could end very awkwardly if Moriko turned out to be human. Yes, Kagome could just see her partner backing away cautiously as a reaction to the question.

Come to think of it, Moriko had been suspiciously absent the first time she met Sesshoumaru. Maybe Sesshoumaru had done something to keep her away then?

Curious, Kagome decided to ask, "Say, I've been meaning to ask you. What happened that day when you disappeared from work?"

"Oh." Then Moriko glanced around quickly before turning back to her. "My…um…old friend was in town. Still is, actually."

"Really?" Kagome asked with interested. Moriko rarely spoke about her personal life, even after the few weeks they had been working together.

Moriko nodded. "Akiyama is from the north and he came on some business. We kind of lost track of time."

An image of a certain Northern Lord with wavy blue hair flashed across Kagome's eyes. Maybe it was the same Akiyama, seeing that Sesshoumaru was actually real. She laughed inwardly. "Yeah and he'd have a water drop on his forehead," she muttered under her breath.

Moriko froze before her. "What did you say?" she whispered shakily.

Kagome blinked, surprised at her partner's reaction. Judging from that, maybe the idea was not so ridiculous after all. "Akiyama has blue hair, right?" she ventured slowly.

Eyes widening, Moriko sputtered disbelievingly, "You know him? But…" she trailed off uncertainly.

A sheepish laugh escaped Kagome. "Maybe." So, this Akiyama was the same as the one in her dreams. Small world, she thought.

Moriko sat up straighter as she leaned forward. "How? I mean, Akiyama is not the most sociable de…person."

Kagome quirked a brow. "You mean to say demon? An elemental? I guess it makes sense that he's running an environmental agency," she mused.

Moriko's jaw dropped. "So you know! Who else do you know?"

"Sesshoumaru."

Moriko blinked in astonishment. "How?"

Sighing, Kagome shook her head. "Long story. Maybe I'll tell you someday."

"But-"

Whatever Moriko had to say was cut off by another groan from their patient. Worried, Kagome checked on him, making sure that he was as comfortable as possible until they reached the hospital.

"Whoever that created this poison should be hanged," Kagome remarked angrily.

"There will be no more of such poison attacks," Moriko told her.

"Really? That's great." And then Kagome frowned thoughtfully before she added, "But how?"

"Since you know about demons, I guess it's safe to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"Ryoukan managed to synthesize some antidote which will counteract the poison's effect the moment it gets into a human or a demon's system. The bulk manufacture should be complete soon and everyone would get it," Moriko explained.

An eyebrow rising, Kagome asked, "How would Ryoukan make sure that everyone got it?"

Moriko smiled sheepishly. "Actually, that's one of the reasons why Akiyama is here. He's owns the largest environmental agency in the north and have the necessary access to the waterworks and reservoirs. He had done it before, so when I mentioned this, he offered to help. But he has yet to discuss this with Sesshoumaru, so please don't say anything to him." Then she added dryly. "They are not the best of friends"

"Oh," Kagome exclaimed as understanding dawned. "Akiyama can make sure that the antidote gets into everyone through the water system."

Moriko nodded and then a curious look came upon her. Hesitantly, she ventured, "So... You obviously know that there are demons around."

"Yeah," Kagome replied. And between her dreams and all, she knew what they were like. There are good ones and bad ones, she supposed. Just like humans. She pinned her gaze onto her brown-haired partner. "I'm guessing you're one too."

After a pause, Moriko nodded. "But most humans don't know about this." She took a deep breath before she added, "And we want to keep it that way, otherwise it'll be chaos."

Kagome doubted that it would be complete chaos. After all, they _had_ lived in peace all this while, right? But something compelled her to agree with her partner, so she nodded. "They'll probably be shocked." Then she frowned as something Moriko had said sank in. "You said 'most humans', so there are some who know?"

Moriko sighed. "Can't help it. After so many centuries, there are quite a large number of demons who mated with humans. But these humans tend to be on our side, seeing that their children are half demons. It would do them no good to expose us. You'd be surprise at the number of half demons walking around Japan. "

The ambulance suddenly stopped, signaling their arrival at Tsukuyo Medical.

As they hefted out the stretcher, Kagome caught Moriko's gaze, "Thanks for telling me all that."

A small smile crossed Moriko's lips. "Not a problem. It's good to know that there are open-minded humans out there."

Kagome simply grinned.

* * *

(t.b.c.) 

A/N: That's it. I hope you've enjoyed that. Please review if you can:p. Thanks!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing the previous chapter! We're now into the second half of the story and I hope that you are still enjoying it.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 11**

He was trailing a ningen.

However disinclined he was to admit it, Sesshoumaru knew that his current action bordered on the ridiculous. Scowling inwardly, he made certain that a reasonable distance was kept between them as he followed the miko from the medical centre. He did even know why he was doing this, only that he felt compelled to do so.

He had nothing to do for the rest of the day after all, he justified, now that Goshinki's fangs had been delivered to a more unscrupulous blacksmith. The family blacksmith, Totousai had refused to forge a blade from Goshinki's fangs, offering him some pitiful excuse about how dangerous such a sword would be. Sesshoumaru's lips curled into a soundless snarl. The old demon's concern was absurd. He, Sesshoumaru, possessed the strength to wield _any_ demonic sword.

It had taken no time at all for him to track down Totousai's errant student, Kaijinbou. Banished by his own master, Kaijinbou wanted nothing more than to prove that he had the skills to match Totousai. He had only been too happy to accept the assignment to forge a sword from Goshinki's fangs.

Sesshoumaru allowed a smirk to cross his lips. Soon, he would possess the powerful demonic sword, he thought as he watched the miko skip energetically up the shrine steps. He waited until she had disappeared from view before he followed her stealthily. Once at the top, he caught sight of her again and instantly backed behind the shadows of a tree.

He could not avert his eyes from the sight which greeted him.

Right before him was the pup which had occupied his mind so often of late. The pup's mop of silver hair was bouncing around his head as he jumped up and down in excitement. Stood in front of the pup, the miko was laughing, shaking her head as she did so.

"Okaa-san! Some on," the pup cajoled as he latched onto the miko's hands. "Only for a while."

"It's almost dinner time, Sachimaru," the miko pointed out patiently.

_Sachimaru._

The pup's name was Sachimaru.

Still unaware of the taiyoukai's presence, the pup pouted. "But it has been two days," he whined. "Please?"

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly. He would have to educate the pup. It was not seemly for a male of the Taishou line to be… whining. Sesshoumaru's eyes landed on the crescent moon on the pup's forehead, noting with his sharp eyes that it matched the one on his own forehead perfectly, apart from the fact that it was a lighter flesh color.

The miko was relenting, Sesshoumaru noted as he watched her nod indulgently at the pup.

Curious as to what the pup wanted, Sesshoumaru kept himself hidden as the miko dropped her bag and returned to stand in front of the pup. Sachimaru was now holding a bokken in his hand, his eyes shining with anticipation.

Then they began.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened with surprise as the miko executed a series of familiar moves, which was copied enthusiastically by the pup. Those were the very lessons he had taught her past self five hundred years ago. If he had any doubts about her identity, what he was currently observing would have dispelled them. He fixed his gaze onto the smaller of the two forms. The pup seemed to be absorbing the lesson rather well, although the miko seemed to have missed a number of instructions. However, considering the level of her skill, she was doing admirably well. He wondered idly if the lessons had continued after they had mated.

Then Sesshoumaru froze when he realized that he had just viewed this miko as the same one as the past. No, he reminded himself. This one was a reincarnation and he should not be thinking of her as if she was the one he had mated in the past. It would not do to confuse the two of the females.

He did not know how long he stood there, watching them as they went through the training moves until an older woman peeked out of the house to announce that dinner was prepared. Assenting with obvious reluctance, the pup placed the bokken at the side of the house. Then both he and the miko disappeared into the house, leaving Sesshoumaru to stare at their retreating back.

There was an odd feeling in his chest which almost felt like longing.

The odd feelings continued to nudge at him, making him feel acutely discomfited. Then an image of the past flashed across his mind. Although once again, it appeared to him in fractured segments, there was enough information to form a clear picture in his mind.

* * *

Sesshoumaru could not help but wish for the miko's presence as he stared through the open shoji screen to the central courtyard beyond. The peaceful view before him did not help to dispel his thoughts of his mating with the miko. The entire event had…astonished him.

Even now, the thought of it brought forth a heated reaction from his person, one which he could not control. Sesshoumaru grimaced. It was imperative that he progressed with the betrayal immediately before the mating bond grew stronger. As it was, it was already difficult for him to accept the fact that he had to rut with another female.

He wondered how his father and mother had managed it. Instantly, his expression hardened. If they succeeded, then he was certainly capable of doing the same.

Mulling over the notion of rutting with another female, he walked away from the shoji into the middle of his study. Before long, he returned the shoji screen again.

He was pacing.

The moment he realized what he was doing, Sesshoumaru immediately halted his steps, irritated at his own actions. This feeling of restlessness was unusual for him, but he understood the reason behind it, however inane it was.

The reason behind it was that the miko was still asleep.

He directed his gaze outside again. It was past midday and she was still asleep. What irked him more was the pressing need to return to her chambers. Something within him urged him to seek the miko to ascertain if she was well. This unexpected side effect of their mating bond was certainly unacceptable. It was a weakness and he would not tolerate it.

He should really progress with breaking the mating bond, he told himself again. There was no reason for him to delay it. Again, his lips thinned at the notion of rutting with some nameless female. Unbidden, a shudder of revulsion coursed through him.

Perhaps it could wait for another day or so, he finally decided. Mind made up, he strode to the end of his study and then turned back. He growled low in his throat when he realized that he was pacing.

Again.

Irked at how his thoughts kept straying to the miko, Sesshoumaru forced himself to think of the affairs of his lands. Katsuo should be training the warriors right at this moment. Perhaps he should pay a visit to their training session. Before thoughts of the miko could return to his mind, he quickly stepped outside, making his way to the training ground near the servants' quarters. As he passed, the servants' voices reached him.

"I can't believe it finally happened," one of them whispered. "It took them long enough to mate."

"Shh… Not so loud."

Sesshoumaru stilled, a frown forming between his brows. It appeared that the servants were once again discussing him and the miko.

The servant retorted, "What? I'm speaking nothing but the truth."

"I know. It's good that we have a lady now, even though she's human."

"Well, it doesn't matter that she's human, does it? She is kind to us," another servant said.

Sesshoumaru's brow rose. He knew that the miko had built some form of relations with his servants, but he did not realize the extent of his servants' support of the miko. Vaguely, he wondered what they would say once the bond was broken.

Not that the opinions of his servants mattered to him.

One of them giggled. "Do you realize that she's actually brave enough to challenge the lord? I wonder what he thinks of it."

"Well, the miko is still alive, and he mated her. So he obviously accepts her the way she is," another one pointed out dryly.

The servant's words caused an odd feeling to wash over him. Brushing it away, Sesshoumaru decided that he had heard enough. The servants' gossips did not interest him and he would not lower himself by continuing to listen to them.

His restlessness grew the further he ventured away from the man palace. The urge to turn around and head for the miko's room was almost overwhelming, but he forced himself to continue towards the training grounds.

Unfortunately, the mating bond continued to call upon him, making it harder for him to continue on his path. .

Incensed at himself, he stilled.

Giving in to his urge, Sesshoumaru finally spun around and headed for the miko's sleeping chamber.

* * *

Kagome stretched as the first tendrils of wakefulness trickled through her. The first thing she noticed was how comfortable she was, surrounded by a reassuring feeling of warmth. Then there was a feeling of something snuffling against the side of her neck, making her giggle. She cracked one eye open just in time to see a flash of silver hair before her.

She immediately gasped and sat up, only to be stopped by a firm body hovering over her. Her eyes met a pair of unreadable golden orbs, and her lips parted in surprise. Sesshoumaru was leaning over her, his arms placed on either side of her body. Had he been nuzzling her just a while ago?

She instantly blushed as the memory of what happened last night flooded her mind. His body was now securely wrapped in his silken kimono, but she could still clearly remember what it looked like without the silk. Her face heated further as her eyes landed on his lips. Kami, the things those lips had done to her last night. The intensity of what she had experienced was not something she had expected at all, even with all their 'practice sessions'.

She had been so involved in getting the mating over with, and then there was the reality of the event last night, that she had not thought about how things would be like afterwards. And now, facing Sesshoumaru…her mate, meeting his eyes was somewhat more difficult than she had anticipated.

"Sesshoumaru…" she began haltingly, unsure how exactly one should conduct a 'morning-after' conversation. It was not as if she had one before, she thought dryly.

His eyes flickered for a moment, and then in an abrupt move, he pushed himself away from her and stood up next to the futon. He seemed so detached, so different from last night. However, something told her that it was simply a mask. She blinked in puzzlement as she wondered how she could have arrived at that conclusion.

"Uh…Is there anything you need from me?" She immediately bit back a groan. Lame, Kagome. Lame.

The silence continued for a while. And then when he spoke, his tone was haughty. "It is not seemly for you to remain in slumber until past noon."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You came in here to tell me that?"

"Hn."

Shooting to her feet, she planted her hands on her hip to glare at him belligerently. Before she could open her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought, she caught the direction of his gaze. A quick downwards glance reminded her that she was completely naked. Gasping, she immediately sank back down on the futon, yanking the sheets up to her chin.

"You hentai!" she hissed through clenched teeth, trying to ignore the burn of embarrassment on her cheeks.

An elegant eyebrow rose. "It is this Sesshoumaru's right to look upon his mate," he informed her calmly.

She bit her lips. Yes, they were mates now. She gulped as reality sank in further. It meant that she and Sesshoumaru were effectively… married. Gah! She was only fifteen years old, she groaned inwardly. Her mother would disown her if she ever found out about this. Or maybe her mother would be so overjoyed at her return home that she would ignore the fact that her fifteen-year-old daughter had had underaged sex. With a demon, no less. Then the rest of Sesshoumaru's words sank in and she immediately bristled. Mate or not, he did not have the right to ogle her. After all, they had only mated to break the bond. It was not like this was the real thing.

Giving him a stubborn look, she snapped, "Yes, we're mated. But it doesn't mean that you can stare at me like that."

The elegant brow rose higher. "Is that so, Miko? You did not disapprove last night," he pointed out smoothly.

She quickly averted her gaze but she could not prevent herself from blushing. "Are you trying to embarrass me or what?" she retorted irritably.

Silence was her only answer. She peered out of the corner of her eyes at the taiyoukai, noting the thoughtful look he was wearing. Why was he being so quiet? Feeling rather unsettled, she began to fidget. If he did not want to talk, why don't he leave and let her get dressed?

"Miko. You do not have any cause for embarrassment."

Her eyes snapped up to his. The way he had said it sounded almost like he was trying to reassure her. Rather bewildered, she asked warily, "Why are you really here, Sesshoumaru?"

His eyes flickered again. Kagome could have sworn that he looked perplexed for a moment there.

"The mating bond calls for your presence," he finally said, his lips curling slightly in obvious distaste.

She blinked. "Oh."

She did not expect the feeling of disappointment which washed over her at his words. What did she think? That he wanted to see her? He was probably there to tell her that it was time to break the bond. A sour taste rose to the back of her mouth at the thought. It was not as if she did not know what Sesshoumaru was planning to do to break the bond. Under her prodding, he had told her that cheating on her would work. But the idea of him having sex with another woman…demon was nothing short of repulsive.

But she knew that if she wanted to go home, he had to do it. And anyway, her reaction was probably the result of them being mated and nothing else. Once the bond was broken, she would stop feeling anything towards him.

Swallowing past the odd lump in her throat, she forced a smile to her lips. "So, I guess we can break the bond now, huh?" she asked.

He tensed visibly. His expression changed so swiftly that she had some trouble reading him, but she could have sworn that he looked angry for a moment. But why? Then her eyes landed on his tightly clenched fists. So, he _was_ really angry, she realized, a little puzzled by his odd behavior.

"Hn."

"Right. So… Umm…" She took in a deep breath and then sighed heavily. She did not remember feeling so awkward in her life, ever. "When are you planning to do it, Sesshoumaru?"

She watched as his lips tightened almost imperceptibly.

"Soon," he replied in a clipped tone. "You will be informed."

What was wrong with him? She would have thought that he would be overjoyed by the fact that the bond would soon be broken. But he seemed so angry about it. Maybe the completed bond was making him feel that way, just the way it was making her feel bad about him having sex with another female.

She sighed again. "Look, Sesshoumaru. I know you hate this feeling. Believe me, I feel it too. But when this is over, then everything will go back to normal, right?" When the bond was broken, she could leave, her mind added.

He gave her an odd look. Then, he turned around and walked out, leaving her staring at him.

* * *

The beeping sound of the coffee machine broke Kagome out of the memories of her dream. Blinking, the staff room came back into her focus. She immediately stifled a groan. There she was again, daydreaming about those dreams. The whole thing was getting out of hand and she really needed to stop it. The worst thing was, she just could not help it. The dreams were stuck in her head like it was her own memory and it kept telling her that she was missing something. But she could not quite put her finger on it.

Absently, Kagome's eyes followed Moriko's form as the demoness went to fetch a cup of coffee. The conversation they had yesterday about demons and half demons suddenly came to mind.

She wondered how many half demons were out there, considering that demons had integrated with humans for more than five centuries. So there are more of them out there, ones like Sachimaru who appeared to be human, but exhibit subtle demonic characteristics. She would not have noticed anything if she had not known for sure that demons existed.

As always, that elusive something about the dreams nudged at her again, pulling her away from thoughts of half-demons in this world. She kept having this feeling that she had forgotten to consider something. Something about her past self and her being the reincarnation.

She ground her teeth in irritation, having had enough of her life being hijacked by her own dreams. This time, she was determined that she would get to the bottom of it this time, even if it meant replaying the whole dream sequence in her mind.

Shaking her head to clear it, Kagome forced herself to concentrate. She had been having those dreams for so long that she was beginning to lose track of what had happened. Start from the beginning, Kagome, she told herself.

By now, she was convinced that the dreams were memories of what had actually existed five hundred years ago. As far as she could tell, there could be only two possible scenarios.

One, she was really the reincarnation of the Kagome five hundred years ago. But that did not make sense, considering how the dreams had started with her falling into the well and considering how her past self kept wanting to leave. After all, if she was a reincarnation, would she not recall her childhood in the Feudal Era? Why would she be thinking of the future at all? Why would she want to _return_ to the future? Unless her dreams were somehow influenced by her current self's thoughts.

Secondly, she had actually fallen into the well and was somehow transported to the Feudal Era. This meant that she had gone through everything that she had been dreaming of. Which meant that she _had_ mated Sesshoumaru. She frowned as she recalled the dreams. Strangely enough, it was the only thing that had explanation for everything that had happened. But why could she not remember anything? Why did it come back to her only in dreams? And not only her, but Sesshoumaru as well. What was going on?

Inhaling deeply, she let the idea wash over her.

She, Higurashi Kagome, had mated Sesshoumaru. Five hundred years ago. There was no past self. She was not a reincarnation.

She and Sesshoumaru had, once upon a time, been mates, the thought repeated in her head. And they had had sex, which meant that Sachimaru could really be her son. Not her past self's.

Everything seemed to click into place with that theory. Why had it not occurred to her before this?

Closing her eyes, she sighed wearily as understanding dawned. She had always thought that it was all just dreams until she met Sesshoumaru. After the meeting, her main concern was to keep away Sachimaru and herself away from Sesshoumaru. She had just accepted it when Sesshoumaru suggested that she was a reincarnation. He could not have known that she was from the future anyway, seeing that her past self had said nothing of that sort to him. It had not occurred to her to think upon the entire thing further until now.

But what if she was wrong about this? After all, it seemed pretty farfetched.

"Kagome?"

Moriko's voice jolted her out of her musings.

"You look lost in your thoughts," the other girl mused.

Kagome forced out a laugh. "It's nothing. Just daydreaming."

"Well, I need to go see Shiori about something. I'll be back later today," Moriko said as she made her way to the door.

When her partner disappeared from sight, Kagome exhaled a breath of relief as she closed her eyes and leaned back against the couch in the rest area. Discussing her dreams with someone else was not something she would do anytime soon. Especially when the object of her dream was the owner of Taishou Holdings.

She looked up as the pager belonging to another paramedic went off. She hoped that this one was not another one from Taishou Securities. There were already three casualties from that company this week. Kagome wondered what was going on. She understood that the nature of their job must put them in a lot of danger. But still, this was too much. Remembering Sesshoumaru's arm, she instantly cringed. According to Shiori, the surgery went well.

Kagome watched as the two other occupants of the room rushed out, leaving her alone in there.

Her mind instantly returned to her uncertainty.

She needed proof that it had happened.

If the whole dream thing was real, then she must be a real miko. Which meant that she had powers, Kagome concluded, staring down at her hands. Glancing surreptitiously around her before allowing her gaze to return to her hands, she took a deep breath and concentrated. Her powers should rise if she was really a miko, right?

Her pulse sped up when she felt a familiar tingle.

Then it was gone.

Frowning, Kagome stared at her open palms uncomprehendingly. She could have sworn that she felt something, and it was as if something else was blocking it. What was going on?

If she could not get proof this way, then she would have to try another thing.

Curling her fingers and forming small fists, Kagome stood up and began to make her way out of the medical centre. She could not do it here, but she could always go somewhere else to check.

She had to find out for sure. And as far as she knew, a simple examination would tell her what she needed to know. But she would not do it in Tsukuyo Medical. She should simply visit one of the other hospitals, preferable as far away as possible from her home. It would still raise a few questions, but she had to do it.

Then she would know for sure.

* * *

The beep of a car alarm being switched off echoed through the almost empty carpark in the basement of the Taishou Securities building.

He felt inclined to pay the miko another 'visit', Sesshoumaru thought idly as he made his way to his car. Watching the miko and the pup yesterday had only worsened his need to discover what had happened to all of them.

When he reached out to the car door, a pricking feeling at the back of his neck warned him that he was not alone. Sesshoumaru glanced around, carefully masking his surprise when he took in the figure approaching him. What did the elemental want?

"Akiyama," he said levelly.

"Sesshoumaru," the elemental greeted with a nod.

"You seek my presence?"

"I've been informed that you require a method for the distribution of a certain antidote."

Sesshoumaru kept his expression blank. The new antidote was not public knowledge, so how did Akiyama find out about it? Immediately, an image of a female forest demon came to mind. Sesshoumaru glowered inwardly. Perhaps it was time for him to give her a reminder on the value of discretion.

"That is none of your business," he replied smoothly.

Akiyama raised a brow. "I see. So you do not require my assistance."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "No."

"Pity. It would have saved you a lot of effort."

"You need not concern yourself, Akiyama. This affair will be settled within my company," Sesshoumaru bit out. Was the Northern Lord under the impression that he, Sesshoumaru, did not have the resources to distribute the antidote?

"Very well." Akiyama spun around and began to walk away. After a few steps, he turned to look over his shoulders. "If you find out later that you require such assistance, it would come with a price," he remarked.

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru's tone was flat.

Sesshoumaru waited until the elemental had used his demonic powers to dissolve into the air before he allowed his hands to clench into fists. He had not expected Akiyama's appearance, especially with regards to this particular issue. However, if was not difficult to tell that the sneaky Northern Lord had something up his sleeves. One such as him would not offer assistance for nothing in return.

Regardless of what it was, Sesshoumaru decided to let it go. Much as he disliked Akiyama, the elemental had not done anything to jeopardize their five-century long alliance which had been formed shortly before the miko in the past had appeared in his life.

The thought of the miko brought his attention back to the dream he had last night.

He recalled his past self's difficulty in departing from the miko's chambers after their mating. But it was nothing compared to the difficulty his past self had experienced in voicing his instructions to Jaken.

* * *

"Jaken."

The toad youkai jumped slightly before he rushed forward. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

It had to be done however disinclined he felt to rut with another female, Sesshoumaru insisted to himself for what seemed like the hundredth time. He would not delay this any longer. And the miko obviously wanted the bond to be broken as well, considering her words earlier this very day. What he did not understand was his own annoyance at the notion that she wished for the bond to be broken. He should be pleased, but he felt nothing like that.

"You will procure a healthy female for the purpose of rutting."

Jaken's eyes widened as his mouth opened and shut wordlessly, much to Sesshoumaru's irritation. Why was his retainer hesitating? Surely he would not dare question his lord with regards to the purpose of this assignment.

"Is there a problem, Jaken?" Sesshoumaru asked stonily.

"B-But…the Lady…She…"

Sesshoumaru hardened his eyes in warning. Jaken was overstepping his boundaries.

The toad youkai's jaw clicked shut with a snap before he gulped. Then shaking his head vigorously, Jaken responded, his voice trembling slightly, "No, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Hn."

Just as Jaken was about to step out of the door, Sesshoumaru added, "Perhaps it would be beneficial if you procure two females." Just in case the first one was not to his taste.

Jaken's eyes bulged further. A bewildered squawk escaped his lips before he could prevent it. Then, blinking rapidly, he nodded and left the study.

Satisfied that his retainer would obey his instructions, Sesshoumaru left the palace. An inner voice told him that a patrol at this time would yield nothing, but he simply ignored it. The need to remove himself from the temptation of the miko was almost as strong as the need for the repeat of their joining last night.

To his consternation, his inner voice proved to be correct. His mind was so preoccupied with thoughts of the miko that he finally abandoned his attempt to escape it and decided to return to his palace.

It had only taken half a day for Jaken to locate two demonesses who were willing to provide him with the services he required. Sesshoumaru was seated in his study, staring unseeingly at the parchment before him when his retainer informed him of their arrival.

"Show them to the guest room in the East Wing." Away from the miko, he added silently. Although he had explained the situation fully to the miko, he felt strangely disturbed at the thought that she might overhear the noises. As it was, the act itself would stir her mating bond into a frenzy, without her having to hear it as well.

When Jaken left to do his bidding, Sesshoumaru stared down blankly at the scroll in front of him. The reluctance to proceed with the act of infidelity weighed heavily upon him, making it difficult for him to leave the study. Such act was dishonorable, and as necessary as it was to break the bond between him and the miko, he felt disgusted by it.

Lips tightening in determination, he decided that he would make it as brief as physically possible. Rising to his feet, Sesshoumaru forced himself to make his way to the East Wing. His steps were leaden, and he felt himself growing increasingly agitated at the thought of what laid ahead.

When he finally reached his destination, Jaken was standing in the hallway with two smiling inuyoukai demonesses behind him. Sesshoumaru barely glanced at the two of them before he gestured to the one on the right.

"You will prepare yourself," he intoned flatly.

The demoness in question gave him a sultry smile before she bowed respectfully. "Yes. I am honored, my lord."

Sesshoumaru bit back the urge to demand that she remove her gaze from his person. Her appearance was not displeasing. However, she simply did not interest him. Sesshoumaru's lips tightened, but he refrained from saying anything to the demoness. Instead, he simply swept into the nearest guest chamber. Peeling off his kimono, he left his hakama on while he settled down on the futon.

It was not long before the demoness entered, clad in nothing but a thin silken robe. Her painted face seemed to stand out harshly in the relative blandness of the room. She closed the shoji screen and waited until he inclined his head before she approached him.

He watched impassively as she disrobed. A feeling of discomfort washed over him at the sight of her nude form, followed by an uncomfortable sensation on his neck. His mating mark was obviously protesting against their pending interaction, he thought absently. It was encouraging to know that it was affected by what they were about to do, assuring him that this was indeed a possible way to break the mating bond.

His discomfort turned into a burning pain in his neck as she laid her hands on his chest. His eyes narrowed at her audacity. She dared to touch this Sesshoumaru without being instructed? His arms shot out and the demoness was thrown onto her back. Lying on the futon, she simply gave him another inviting smile, oblivious to his displeasure.

Sesshoumaru knew that he would not be enjoying this encounter. However, it was necessary and he would simply complete the act as efficiently as physically possible. There was no reason to draw it out.

Ignoring the growing pain on his neck, Sesshoumaru willed his body to respond.

To his horror, there was nothing. Not even the slightest twinge of reaction. It was as if his lower extremity had decided to ignore his command.

Sesshoumaru grimaced as his irritation mounted. This could not be possible. He would not allow it. How was it possible that he, Sesshoumaru, was unable to instruct his body to react to his instructions?

"My lord…" the female purred huskily, eyeing him with undisguised lust.

Sesshoumaru felt himself recoiling further. Somehow, he found the female…revolting. It puzzled him, as Jaken had selected the female based on what he used to desire for a rutting partner. He studied the female before him carefully, attempting to find out if there was something about her which caused this growing feeling of revulsion in him. Her green eyes were sultry, and her heart-shaped face framed with a gleaming mass of reddish-brown hair, which tumbled down her curvaceous form. As far as he could tell, she was not displeasing to the eye.

His lips tightened. Perhaps he should consider the other female.

"Leave," he instructed quietly, but there was no mistaking the force behind his words.

The female's almond-shaped eyes widened. "My lord? Did I displease you?"

His ground his teeth in irritation. He did not wish to converse with this female, let alone justify his orders. "This Sesshoumaru will not repeat himself." His tone was harsh.

Gasping in fear, the female scrambled off the futon and rushed out of the room. Not long after, Jaken appeared at the entrance to the guest chamber, his expression belying his apprehension.

"Summon the other female," Sesshoumaru bit out.

Jaken blinked, but he stood rooted to the spot.

"Jaken." His tone carried a wealth of warning.

With a squawk of alarm, his retainer slid the screen shut and rushed off. Sesshoumaru strode across the guest chamber to the screen on the opposite side. Sliding it open, he stared out across the courtyard at the other wing. He could see the silhouette of two figures through the shoji screen in the distance. The miko and Katsuo, he deduced. Clenching his fists, Sesshoumaru willed himself to remain where he was. The temptation to fly across the courtyard to the miko's room was almost overwhelming.

It was all because of the mating bond, he insisted to himself. Once it was destroyed, his peace would be reinstated and this odd longing for the miko would cease to exist. Strangely enough, the notion gave him no pleasure. How odd. However, he would not ponder upon such things. He needed to concentrate more on betraying this bond, he decided firmly as slid the screen shut and turned away from the courtyard.

Not long after, a series of soft taps sounded.

"Enter," he called out impatiently.

The shoji screen slid open, revealing a tall demoness with pale blue eyes and shimmering white hair. Sesshoumaru allowed his eyes to travel down her form, noting the dips and curves which formed her body. Once again, this demoness was the type he favored for such tasks. Jaken had carried out his instructions well.

"Undress," he instructed, wanting nothing more than to complete this arduous task.

"My pleasure…" the demoness drawled.

Stepping in and shutting the screen behind her, she untied her obi and in a few efficient moves, her dark blue kimono pooled at her feet. No doubt she had done this many times, Sesshoumaru thought vaguely as her pale body was bared to him. Without waiting for instructions, the demoness swayed towards him, running her hands from her hips up to her breast.

A wave of nausea rose within him, causing him to almost lose his composure. He clenched his fist together at his side in an attempt to still his roiling midsection. This was getting ridiculous, he thought furiously. Why should he be feeling such a way even before he carried out the actual act of betrayal?

His affliction worsened as the demoness stopped in front of him, filling his senses with her scent. Instead of being aroused, he felt himself recoiling further. Rutting was simply physically not possible in the state he was in. His…extremities... refused to respond to either this demoness or the one before her.

He knew then that it would not be possible for him to continue with it.

"Out," he snapped.

The demoness's eyes widened in confusion.

He turned away from her, wanting nothing more than to see the last of the female. Then, hopefully, the odd feeling within him would disappear.

"How dare you?"

He stilled at the sound of the demoness's shrill voice, all traces of her prior sultriness gone. Hardly believing that the female was foolish enough to question him, Sesshoumaru spun around. In a blink of an eye, the demoness was sprawled backwards on the floor, staring up at him with a combination of anger and shock.

"Leave," he intoned flatly.

Picking herself and her discarded up, the demoness glared at him before she spun around and left the chambers.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and released a heavy breath. It appeared that he had been defeated by his own mating instincts. Perhaps he only felt the effects so strongly because of his demonic senses. In which case, he could only think of one other option. The notion left him with a bitter taste in his mouth, and his entire being balked at it.

However, neither he nor the miko had any choice in the matter. Not if they wished for this bond to be broken.

* * *

Kagome paced the length of the room, knowing that Katsuo watched her movements closely. She was feeling edgy and twice now, she had felt her heart twist painfully as the mating mark on her neck burned. Slapping a hand on it, she rubbed it gently, trying to soothe the pain.

Sighing, she forced herself to take a few deep breaths. It was not as if she did not know what was going on. Sesshoumaru had explained everything to her after all. But still, she could not help the overwhelming urge to rush out to find him. At least Katsuo was there to make sure that she did not make a fool out of herself.

Not that she would really run out if she could help it. Even though the entire thought of Sesshoumaru having sex with another made her feel physically sick. After all, interrupting Sesshoumaru would mean delaying the release of their bond. And this was the only chance she had if she wanted to return home. No, she would stay right there and wait it out. Hopefully, it would not take Sesshoumaru long to 'betray' her.

Katsuo had been giving her odd looks every since Sesshoumaru had ordered him to guard her. She understood why Sesshoumaru had done so, but since Katsuo had no idea of what was going on, she did not blame him for his confusion. After all, how many males cheated on their mate only one day after being mated?

A soft tap sounded against the shoji screen. At her call to enter, the screen slid open and Natsumi peered in. She and Katsuo exchanged a smile before she stepped into the room.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" she asked, her eyes filled with concern.

Kagome forced a smile to her lips. "Of course I am." She knew what Natsumi must be thinking, but she could not explain it to her.

Frowning, Natsumi bit her lips. "It is not my place to talk about such things, Kagome. But what Lord Sesshoumaru is doing… It is just not right."

"Don't worry yourself about it, Natsumi. Everything will be fine in the end," Kagome said, hoping that Natsumi would not press her further. After all, she had promised Sesshoumaru that she would not tell anyone about this entire thing.

"But Kagome…" Suddenly, Natsumi stilled and glanced at the door.

"What?" Kagome prompted curiously.

Before Natsumi could answer, the shoji screen slid open. To Kagome's surprise, Sesshoumaru was standing there staring at her. She gulped as she looked into the flicker of heat in his eyes, knowing instantly that he was thinking of their previous night together.

She blinked in consternation. But what about his attempts at breaking the bond? Surely it was not already over that fast? After all, if last night was any indication, he certainly had some stamina. She instantly blushed at the recollection.

Sesshoumaru broke their gaze to turn to Katsuo and Natsumi. "Wait outside until you're summoned."

Natsumi's and Katsuo's glance flitted from Sesshoumaru to her, and then back to Sesshoumaru before they nodded. Bowing, they left the room. Then Sesshoumaru made a sweeping motion around the room and Kagome found the two of them surrounded by a shimmering barrier. It was obvious that he did not want anyone to overhear their conversation.

"The mark is still here," she whispered as she touched her neck.

"Regrettably." His tone was dry.

"So it didn't work?" Kagome asked nervously. Surely it had to work. Have they somehow misread the scroll?

Sesshoumaru's expression became pinched. After a moment of silence, he said in quiet voice, "It is not possible for this Sesshoumaru to complete the…action."

She blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He simply stared at her wordlessly.

Her eyes widened in comprehension. Then, gesturing at his lower half, she whispered, "You can't…um…"

"Miko…" His tone warned her not to continue.

She clamped her mouth shut. The fact that he could not _perform_ was obviously a sore point for him. Not only for him, she supposed. Any male would feel bad about it. Right?

She could not help but ask, "It's not permanent, right? You can still…umm…I mean, some other time…"

"Miko…" he warned again.

A forced laugh escaped her lips. This was just too surreal to be true. They were so close to breaking the bond, and now their entire plan was thrown upside down by the fact that Sesshoumaru could not 'perform'. Did this mean that she would be forever bonded to Sesshoumaru? Did this mean that she would never be able to leave? Never to see her family or friends again?

Swallowing down her panic, she quickly said, "May it's just all the stress, you know. Or the mating bond is stronger than you thought." Then she frowned in thought. "Maybe you just didn't try hard enough."

"Miko! You will cease your words," he snapped.

Holding her hands up in a gesture of peace, she quickly said, "Alright, alright… I won't say anything more."

He gave her a cautioning look. "You will give your word that you will not to speak of this…event…to anyone."

She gaped. This was so important that he needed to make her _promise_ not to tell? Males, she thought irritably.

"Miko!"

"Alright! I promise I won't tell." Then she sighed heavily, before insisting, "Maybe you should try again."

"No."

She frowned. "What do you mean? No? Do you have another way to break this bond?"

"Yes."

She closed her eyes and exhaled a breath of relief. Planting her hands on her hips, she gave him an impatient look. "Well, what are you waiting for? Are you going to tell me or not?"

"You will know soon," he said cryptically before he dissolved the barrier and called out for Katsuo.

Immediately, the shoji screen slid open and the grey-haired hanyou stepped in, wearing a questioning look on his face. Kagome frowned, wondering what Sesshoumaru had in mind. Whatever it was, it probably involved Katsuo.

"You summoned, Lord Sesshoumaru?" the hanyou asked.

Sesshoumaru stared at Katsuo wordlessly, his actions confusing her further. Just when she was about to prompt him, Sesshoumaru gave his general a terse instruction.

"You will rut with the miko."

* * *

A/N: Hehe! That's it for now. (Ducks rotten fruits and runs) Hope you will leave me a review to let me know what you think of this. 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you so much for your enthusiastic reviews! I'm glad that most of you were entertained by it. I apologize for not being able to respond individually to you this time, but I have just received my new hard disk - the old one kind of gave up on me, which meant that for the past one week, I've barely done any writing, let alone spend any time on the internet. Anyway, here is the next chapter and I hope that you will all enjoy it.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 12**

"_You will rut with the miko."_

Kagome's eyes narrowed as the words from her dream last night echoed through her head. Sesshoumaru had some nerve, ordering Katsuo to do something like that, she fumed. The sudden spike of anger in her past self had been potent enough to jolt her awake from that particular dream an hour ago.

And now, it was Sachimaru's expression that brought the dream back to her mind. At the moment, the boy was standing facing her with a look on his face which reminded her eerily of the one Sesshoumaru had worn when he uttered those disturbing words, the only difference being that Sachimaru had a petulant pout on his lips.

The boy was adamant about following Souta out on a trip, but she was not about to let him stay overnight unsupervised. Denying her son, however, turned out to be harder than she had expected. Her mother and grandfather were not around to help, but Kagome realized that she should not expect them to do so, seeing that she _was_ Sachimaru's mother. But it was times like this that she wished that she had someone to share the responsibility with.

"I said no, Sachimaru," Kagome said tightly, shifting slightly on the chair in the kitchen. She glared up at the ceiling, wishing that Souta had not told Sachimaru about his pending camping trip. Her brother obviously knew that he had done something wrong, because Souta was still locked in his room instead of joining them downstairs.

"But Okaa-san!" Sachimaru whined.

She put on the most uncompromising look she possessed. "No."

The boy's lips trembled.

Kagome bit back a sigh of frustration. She had to finish her dinner and prepare herself for her night shift. The last thing she needed was to fight with Sachimaru in the kitchen. Not to mention with everything that was happening to her, all she wanted was to crawl back into bed.

First, it had been the realization that she might well be the very same person as the miko in her dreams, not just a reincarnation. Her following visit to the neighboring hospital yesterday had yielded nothing because she was informed that an appointment was necessary for the medical checkup she wanted done. It meant that she had to continue driving herself mad with anxiety until her appointment tomorrow.

Then there was the disturbing dream which refused to leave her mind. What Sesshoumaru had said was simply ridiculous. Katsuo was a friend and there was no way they could do what Sesshoumaru had ordered so coldly, like it was no big deal. And ever since that dream, she felt nothing but disappointment towards the taiyoukai. Was he so cold and unfeeling that he was unable to see past his own objective? Was he really that selfish?

The whole thing reinforced her decision not to let Sesshoumaru anywhere near Sachimaru, even if they turned out to be related. Sachimaru deserved better than that. Though at the moment, she wished that it was someone else dealing with this problem, and not her.

"You never let me go out with Souta," Sachimaru complained, his expression displaying his displeasure.

Praying for patience, Kagome explained slowly, "You are too young and Souta is not old enough to look after you. Especially when he's with his friends. I will take you camping some other day, alright?"

Sachimaru stomped his foot stubbornly and Kagome felt the onset of a headache. Maybe she had been too lenient with Sachimaru. It had never been too much of a problem before but it looked like she might have to be stricter from now on. The boy seemed to grow more headstrong by the day.

"I can take care of myself," Sachimaru declared heatedly.

"Stop it, Sachimaru. I mean it!" she said firmly. Standing up, she placed her dishes in the sink before turning around again. "You won't always get your way. And you are too young to spend the night in the wild with no one but a bunch of teenagers. So, no. You cannot go. Do you understand?"

Sachimaru stared at her mutely, looking as if he was about to protest.

"Not another word about this," Kagome warned sternly.

His lips trembled, and then his eyes welled up.

Kagome felt her heart constricting. She hated to do this to Sachimaru, but it was necessary. Kneeling down in front of him, she locked her own eyes onto his golden ones. "I need to go to work now. You behave yourself, alright?" she said quietly, rubbing his arms.

Sachimaru pulled his arms from her and ran away from the kitchen.

Kagome stood up with a weary sigh. This was definitely not a good day, she thought as she went to the door and made her way to Tsukuyo Medical for her shift.

The night shift passed quickly without too many incidents and before she knew it, she was heading back home, walking down the street with her bag slung over her shoulders and an umbrella in one hand. Absently, she noted the movement of her own shadows as she walked past one streetlight after another. Although a few cars had sped past her on occasion, the streets were fairly deserted at this time of the night, which did not help in distracting her from her thoughts.

A prickle of awareness at the back of her neck brought her to a sudden halt. Realizing just how alone she was, Kagome gulped and tightened her grip on her umbrella. If someone dared to attack her, she would have to test out just how much of Sesshoumaru's training she remembered. Cautiously, she glanced around, but noted nothing out of the ordinary.

Maybe it was just her imagination, she thought as she continued to walk.

When another prickle of awareness crept up her skin, she squeezed her eyes shut and wasted no time in swinging the umbrella around. She heard a muffled thud as the umbrella connected with something.

"Miko."

Her eyes instantly snapped open to find the object of her dreams standing right in front of her, the end of the umbrella held so tightly in his hand.

"Sesshoumaru!" she gasped in surprise as she took in his immaculate appearance. He looked every bit like a successful man in a dark grey suit. Nothing in the way he appeared gave away his true identity.

His golden eyes flickered as he stared at her wordlessly. Then to her consternation, a disturbingly familiar heated look entered those molten orbs. Instantly, flashes of their mating washed over her like an avalanche. This was the first time they met face to face after THAT dream, she realized. A burning blush slowly crawled up her neck to her cheeks. Maybe he had not dreamt of that yet, she hoped.

"You should not close your eyes if you wish to hit your target," he intoned.

She jumped slightly, and then blinked in puzzlement at his seemingly random words. What was he talking about? Then her eyes landed on the umbrella and his meaning sank in. Her pink umbrella was now hopelessly deformed.

Her umbrella… Her favorite umbrella…

Bristling, she released the handle, leaving it to flop down. "You broke it!" she accused.

Raising an eyebrow, he remarked smoothly, "Do not blame me, for it was you who had broken it."

Planting her hands on her hips, she glared at him. "It would have been fine if you didn't grab it. Anyway, what are you doing here?"

Blatantly ignoring her question, he asked instead, "Have you been suffering from the dreams?"

"None of your business," she muttered, averting her gaze. Why did he have to bring this up? This was beyond embarrassing. She could not really discuss her dreams with him now. Especially the one which involved a futon and two writhing bodies.

"Do you recall the mating?" he persisted.

Kagome groaned. Did he read her mind? She really did not want to talk about this. "No," she snapped shortly.

"You lie."

Taking a few steps away from him, she hissed, "I'm not telling you anything."

He gazed at her contemplatively and she had to force herself not to fidget. It was as if he was thinking up a way to torture the information out of her. She had to leave before he came up with something. Knowing just how sneaky he was, it could be anything at all and she had no intention of finding out what it was.

Her entire body tense, she took a few more steps away from him.

"It's late. So I'm leaving," she declared as she broke into a run.

She had only taken two steps before a hand clamped around her upper arm. The next thing she knew, she was yanked to an abrupt halt and spun around. Her eyes immediately locked on a pair of penetrating golden orbs. Gulping, she tried to pull away, but to no avail. Much to her alarm, his face loomed closer.

Her gaze dropped to his lips and she froze. Kami, what those lips could do, she thought before she realized what she was doing. Her breath caught in her throat as flashes of the mating instantly came to mind. She bit her lips when her mind supplied her with the image of his body glistening with a sheen of moisture as he pumped into her, while she gasped his name.

No, she would not think about that now, she scolded herself, shaking her head. Then she felt the brief contact of his nose slid against her cheek, and a shiver ran up her spine. Was he nuzzling her? Again? Before she could react, she found herself released suddenly.

Stunned, she could only gape at him until a jolt of irritation coursed through her. Did he think that he could do what he liked just because he and the miko had mated in the past?

Taking one step to close the gap between them, Kagome poked a finger against his chest for emphasis as she snapped, "What was that all about? I'm not your mate and you had better think twice before trying anything!"

"So, you are aware of the mating," he remarked quietly.

She gulped, and immediately flushed. The last thing she wanted was to encourage him to ask about THAT. Clearing her throat, she shot back, "There's nothing there to discuss, alright!"

"You will inform me of the miko's thoughts on the event."

Kagome's eyes bulged. "Are you out of your mind?! Those things are private!" she yelled. This conversation was simply unbelievable. She tried to move away, only to have her path blocked by his larger form. "Come on, Sesshoumaru. Let me leave," she pled desperately.

"You can do so once you answer my questions."

She tilted her chin stubbornly. "I said I'm not going to say anything about the dreams."

"Is the bond broken?" he asked, completely ignoring her refusal to speak about it.

The very mention of that incident sent a surge of rage zapping through her. How DARE he mention such a thing, she fumed. "I'm definitely not discussing that with you!" she gritted out. "And anyway, it's not like you don't know what you said."

He simply stood there wordlessly, as if he was content to wait until she decided to spill her guts about it. She tried to step past him, only to have her path blocked again. Her irritation reaching the boiling point, Kagome stomped her feet and glared at him.

"Fine! You want to know about that? I think you're a cold, heartless bastard who cares for nothing but himself," she proclaimed angrily.

His lips tightened.

"How could you order Katsuo to sleep with me… um…her?" she ranted. "Don't you know what that would mean?"

"It simply means that the bond would be broken," he said levelly.

Kagome's lips thinned. "Obviously you don't care that she has to sleep with someone she has no such feelings for."

"The miko copulated with me," he said dryly. "Does that mean that she has such… feelings for me?"

Kagome threw her arms in the air. "How should I know?" she shot back, feeling rather confused at what he had just implied.

Did her dream self really have feelings for Sesshoumaru? And she was simply unaware of it all this time? Frowning, she stared down at her feet. In that case, if her suspicions were right, then it meant that _she_, Higurashi Kagome, have feelings for Sesshoumaru. She blinked at the idea, trying to swallow past the sudden dryness in her throat.

Then she felt his cool fingers under her chin, tilting her face up.

Gazing into her eyes, he said quietly, "You experienced her emotions in your dreams. You should know."

Discomfited by his proximity and her disturbing thoughts, she pulled away quickly. "Even if I know, I'm not telling you anything," she shot back. No, she needed to change the subject now before this whole discussion went too far. "What are you doing here anyway? It's five in the morning." Then she paused as something occurred to her. "Are you… _stalking_ me?"

He gave her an offended look. "Such a thing is beneath me."

"Your actions say otherwise," she pointed out, suddenly feeling very tired. Too tired to have this sort of conversation with Sesshoumaru. Yawning, she rubbed a hand over her eyes before turning to Sesshoumaru. "Look. It's late and I'm tired. All I want to do is to go home, not stand on the sidewalk discussing this thing with you."

For a moment, his eyes flickered with an indefinable emotion before they became masked once again. Then he declared disinterestedly, "It is unsafe for you to travel alone at such a time."

She blinked in astonishment. Although he wore his usual stoic expression, he sounded almost like he cared. But how was that even possible? They did not even know each other. Well, in this era anyway.

"I'm used to it," she said cautiously, unsure of what he was up to this time.

He gestured at the sidewalk. "Go home."

She blinked in confusion. One moment he had been so insistent about the dreams and now, he was ordering her to go home? Well, that was what she wanted, wasn't it?

"Fine," she said, turning away from him.

She had only taken a few steps before she paused to look back over her shoulders.

He was gone, she realized as she turned around fully. For a moment, she stood still, staring at the space where he had stood only a moment ago, while an odd feeling came upon her. She frowned, trying to put a name to the feeling but she came up with nothing.

Sighing, she resumed her journey.

When she finally arrived home, Kagome set down her belongings and went upstairs to cleanse herself. Feeling tired, she sank into her bed and released a heavy breath. Now that she thought about it, the encounter with Sesshoumaru was nothing short of weird. He had been so insistent at first, so why did he back off? Maybe it was to do with the dreams. Maybe something had happened that she did not know about.

This afternoon, she told herself. This afternoon, she would find out if this whole dream thing was real.

In the meantime, she needed to sleep. Hopefully, she would be spared from the dreams. The last one she had was not exactly pleasant. But maybe it was worth all the unpleasantness if she ended up finding out more about what exactly was happening to her.

* * *

"You will rut with the miko."

Kagome felt herself going cold. Did he just order Katsuo to...?

"W-What?" Katsuo whispered disbelievingly.

Kagome felt her eyes twitch.

Then the coldness in her receded and all she could feel was white hot, blinding rage. She gritted her teeth and clenched her hands into fists as she glared at the stoic taiyoukai standing in front of Katsuo like he was completely unaffected by this THING he had just said.

"Sesshoumaru…" she ground out, trying her best to wrap her mind around what he had just said. "You did not just say that."

His eyes flicked towards her, but apparently, her question did not deserve a verbal response.

Furious, she stepped up to him. "No, not a chance! We will not be doing something like that." Then she gestured at him. "It's not my fault that IT stopped working. And anyway-"

"Miko," Sesshoumaru interjected harshly. "You will cease to speak of that matter."

Her rage mounted. "Not if you're insisting on ME doing what you should have done!"

Sesshoumaru's expression hardened. "You will do as instructed. And so will Katsuo."

Her palms sizzled in reaction to her anger and there was nothing she could do to stop it. "NO! You're out of your mind if you think that I'm going to do something like that!" she shouted as a bright flare of miko power swirled around her.

"Kagome, don't!" Katsuo hissed, taking a few steps back away from her.

She heard Katsuo, but she did not take her eyes off Sesshoumaru, even when the mating mark on her neck began to burn. How dare he do something like this? How dare he shove this responsibility onto her? Breaking the bond was HIS part to do. Not hers. They had discussed this and they had AGREED that he was the one who would break the bond. Not HER. And definitely not Katsuo. The hanyou had done nothing to deserve this. Sesshoumaru had some nerve, using his authority over Katsuo to give him such an order.

Eyes narrowing, Sesshoumaru intoned levelly, "You will rein in your powers, Miko."

She glared at him murderously. "You don't get to order me around, Sesshoumaru!" she shouted.

"You will do so or suffer the consequences of your impudence," Sesshoumaru bit out icily.

Her eyes flashed. "Don't threaten me!" she gritted out, her arms lifting up in reflex.

Furious beyond belief, she barely felt it when a bolt of pure energy rushed through her body and sped straight at Sesshoumaru. She saw his eyes widen in surprise just a moment before he streaked away, avoiding being hit by the glowing, pearlescent bolt. Wanting nothing more than to hit him, she threw one after another of her glowing energy orbs at Sesshoumaru, who although was silent, looked angry enough to send alarm bells ringing in her head.

But she did not care.

A stray orb grazed his arm, searing off the silk and Sesshoumaru hissed in reaction. Almost instantly, Kagome felt an answering flare of pain in her neck which burnt all the way down to her toes, reminding her that she and Sesshoumaru was still very much bonded and she would sense any threat towards him, even though the threat originated from her. And the pain was bad enough to wreck her concentration.

Then a strong pair of arms went around her, stilling her movements. Katsuo's voice was terse when he hissed into her ears, "Kagome, stop it! You're going to kill us all."

Temper still high, she glanced backwards towards the worried-looking hanyou. "Did you hear what he'd just said? Can you believe it?" Then she turned back to Sesshoumaru, her expression turning dark. "I'm not killing us, but I AM considering killing Sesshoumaru." A flare of pain exploded on her neck. She could not even threaten Sesshoumaru without hurting herself, she fumed.

Sesshoumaru pinned an uncompromising pair of eyes on Katsuo. "You will obey this order, Katsuo."

"NO!" Kagome interjected, struggling against Katsuo. She could have freed herself if she used her powers, but she did not want to hurt her friend. "Let me go, Katsuo!"

"You will not leave this chamber until you do so." Sesshoumaru's voice was tight.

With that last decree, he spun around and left through the open shoji. Then the screen slid shut, leaving her staring into space with her mouth gaping. She felt a brief flare of youki from outside and then nothing.

"You're not leaving just like that!!" she yelled, trying to rush forward. "You hear me, Sesshoumaru? Get back here!"

Katsuo finally released her. "Kagome. What's going on?" he asked, his eyes wild with confusion.

Releasing a scream of frustration, she ranted at the closed shoji, "That stupid demon didn't have the nerve to go through with it and now he wants me to do it?"

"Do what?" Katsuo voice was strained.

Turning around to face her friend, Kagome sighed heavily. He really did not deserve this. She did not blame him for being so confused. For Kami's sakes, Sesshoumaru should have at least _explained_ his orders. But now, it looked like she would have to go through the embarrassment of explaining it to Katsuo. Because he _deserved_ to know the truth. How could Sesshoumaru just order Katsuo to do something like this?

Her eyes narrowed. Maybe she should go and drag Sesshoumaru back here to explain. And then they could all sit down and come up with a better plan. One which did not involve her having sex with anyone.

Yes. That was a far better idea.

Face set in furious lines, she stomped over to the shoji screen and reached out to open it. A squeak of alarm escaped her lips when she was immediately tossed backwards by an invisible force. Landing on the tatami mat, she stared at the shoji disbelievingly.

"The sneaky…" she ground out as she scrambled to her feet, realizing that they were trapped.

"We are barricaded within this chamber." Katsuo sounded resigned.

Letting out a scream of frustration, she raised her hand and released a blast of miko power at the screen.

And another.

And another.

And still, the barrier remained intact.

"Enough, Kagome. It's useless," Katsuo sighed. "That barrier cannot be penetrated."

Slumping down dejectedly on the tatami mat, Kagome slapped her open palms on the floor. Her heart was beating so fast that it hurt, not to mention that the mating mark was reacting to her distress by feeding her even more pain. She still could not believe Sesshoumaru had done something like this. And she trusted him. She actually trusted him to do what he said he would do. How could he do this to her? It was hard enough, having to mate with him, and now, he expected her to have sex with Katsuo?

To her mortification, her eyes began to burn with tears. Once again, the mating mark decided to join in with a fresh flare of pain that would have brought her to her knees if she was not already sitting down. Oh Kami, it hurt, she thought miserably as she pressed her palm against her neck.

"Kagome…" Katsuo began uncertainly.

She sniffed quickly, and then brushed the back of her hand over her damp eyes.

Suddenly the shoji screen slid open and Kagome instantly shot to her feet. Beside her, Katsuo rushed forward only to pause when his eyes landed on the figure who had just joined them. Kagome frowned in confusion when Katsuo paled.

"Natsumi…" Katsuo whispered shakily. "You heard…"

Natsumi's expression was troubled as she set down the tray of tea, her eyes meeting neither of theirs. "I have some tea for you," she mumbled. Then she stood up and hurried to the shoji.

"Wait!" Kagome called out. "Is Sesshoumaru out there?"

Natsumi's steps faltered, but she did not turn around. What was going on, Kagome wondered. Had she heard Sesshoumaru's orders? Was Katsuo and Natsumi an item? Kagome's heart twisted when she realized how terrible Natsumi must feel.

"Natsumi…" Katsuo pled, his expression twisted in desperation. "Please get Sesshoumaru to let us out. This is insane."

Natsumi shook her head slowly. "We have our orders, Katsuo," she said tightly. "I'm sure he has a good reason for doing this."

"Like what?!" Katsuo exploded. "Kagome is his MATE, for Kami's sakes! How am I supposed to do this?"

"You'll find a way," Natsumi muttered. With that, the barrier parted to allow her to pass, leaving them alone again.

The silence was thick.

This was bad, Kagome thought as she snuck a glance at the anxious hanyou. Slumping back down onto her futon, Kagome buried her face in her hands and groaned. This was so wrong. Natsumi would never forgive either of them if anything happened. Not that she had any intention of obeying Sesshoumaru's orders. She would not do that to Katsuo and Natsumi, especially considering that they had treated her so well.

Throwing her hands up in the air, she declared, "Well, he's going to have to let us out sometime. We can wait it out."

Katsuo shook his head at her. "Lord Sesshoumaru will not return until we…uh…"

"Don't say it!" Kagome quickly interjected.

"Kagome. Please tell me what's going on?" Katsuo asked urgently.

She sighed. Maybe Katsuo would have some ideas on how to deal with this. But in order for him to do that, he had to know the facts. Which meant that she had to break her word to Sesshoumaru. But at the moment, getting out of the room was more important. And anyway, it was not as if there was any harm in it.

Taking a deep breath, she blurted out, "I accidentally marked Sesshoumaru."

Silence followed her proclamation.

Then Katsuo found his voice. "You…marked…Lord Sesshoumaru?" he ventured hesitantly. "You mean the mating?"

She shook her head. "It's not meant that way," she insisted, and then continued, "I made a mistake. We were fighting and he held my hand so I couldn't use my powers. And-" She paused, sucking in a sharp breath as a burning pain flared on her neck, only to shoot down her entire body. The mating mark was probably defective, she thought. Why else would it be hurting so badly?

"You bit his neck," Katsuo breathed out, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"I can't tell you much." She paused again and took another deep breath, trying to ignore the burning feeling which now encompassed her entire body. It was probably a leftover reaction from Sesshoumaru's earlier attempts. Brushing it to the back of her mind, she continued, "Let's just say that to break the bond, one of us have to cheat on the other."

His face twisting in disbelief, Katsuo exclaimed, "This is insane!"

"Tell me about it. But that's the story and now he expects us to break the bond."

"I see." Katsuo's voice was strained.

Her lips twisted in a bitter smile. "I didn't expect _this_ to happen."

Katsuo fell into a thoughtful silence. Then he sat down cross-legged on the tatami mat, his eyes staring blankly at the shoji screen before it went to the teapot. Shuffling closer, Kagome lifted the pot and poured the tea. Maybe the tea would calm her mating mark down.

"At least we have tea," she muttered.

Accepting the small cup from her, Katsuo leaned back against the wall and stared unblinkingly upwards. Sipping her tea, Kagome brooded moodily over the situation.

She really needed to find a way to get them out of this.

* * *

Sesshoumaru sucked in another sharp breath of air as the burning pain lanced through him, starting from his neck and ending at his feet. Biting back a groan, he made his way to his futon, all the while noticing just how tense his entire body was.

Judging from the soreness he was experiencing, it appeared that it had not taken Katsuo long to proceed with his order to rut with the miko, Sesshoumaru thought with no small amount of anger. Perhaps his general had always been infatuated with the miko and was now welcoming the opportunity for such interaction.

A growl escaped Sesshoumaru's lips before he could suppress it.

It did not matter, he insisted to himself. As long as the bond was broken, he did not care how it was done. An uncomfortable feeling coursed through him, one which he now recognized as remorse. He realized that this would be a difficult task for the miko and perhaps he had been too harsh in his actions. However, their predicament necessitated such harshness. They could not delay any longer, for the bond would only grow stronger with time.

It should be brief once they consumed the tea he had instructed Natsumi to serve, Sesshoumaru thought. Katsuo might be willing, but he was certain that the miko would not be. The tea would not only loosen her inhibitions, but also generate a feeling of lust. And since she did not possess demonic senses, the pain she experienced during the bond breaking would be much less severe than his, he decided.

His breath caught in his chest as another sensation of pain burnt through him.

Unbidden, his mind began to supply him with the images of the miko's slender limbs tangled with Katsuo's muscular form as they moved against each other. A wave of nausea coursed through him, almost bringing him to his knees. Sesshoumaru clenched his fists, willing himself not to rush out.

He would remain in this chamber, he instructed himself.

He would not go to the miko.

* * *

Kagome squinted at the shoji screen, wondering why it seemed to be moving sideways. Vaguely, she noticed that the pain in her body seemed to have dulled to a bearable degree. The tea must have calmed it down.

She giggled, suddenly feeling rather uninhibited. She felt rather warm all over as well.

A strangled sound drew her attention to the other person in her room. Katsuo was breathing heavily, his palms pressed against the wall as he attempted to steady himself. She could not help but laugh at the sight of the usually composed Katsuo staggering around.

"W-What's wrong with y-you?" she asked in between her giggles.

"The tea…" Katsuo hissed. His eyes were glazed as he looked at her.

She wanted to get to him, but her feet refused to obey when she tried to get up. So she ended up crawling towards the swaying hanyou. She reached him just as he dropped back down onto the floor. She felt her heated blood rushing through her veins as she stared at him. The compulsion to be near him grew stronger and she reached out for him. Katsuo tried to push her aside, but she managed to drape her arms around him. Almost instantly, the burn of her mating mark returned, making her gasp even as she tightened her grip on her friend.

Through her haziness, she heard Katsuo protest, "No! Kagome, don't! The tea… Lord Sesshoumaru did something to it."

Giggling, and allowing the hanyou to push her away, Kagome declared, "You're cute…"

Katsuo groaned even as his hands reached out for her. "You really…really don't want this."

"Hmm…" she sighed as she collapsed onto him. "Why not?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

Why had she never noticed how sexy he was, with those intense blue eyes and the way his grey bangs just grazed his lashes? His grey hair should look weird on someone who looked so young, but it seemed to suit him well. Not to mention he had a nice body. Come to think of it, she wanted to see more of the body. Her hands immediately went to work, trying to discard his purple kimono.

"Wait…" Katsuo protested as he tried to remove her hands. "Stop!"

She giggled again. "You've got to try harder if you want to stop me," she teased, leaning down to nip at his bared chest.

A jolt of piercing pain sliced through her. With a shriek of alarm, she jumped back, her head suddenly cleared by the unpleasant feeling. She blinked one, and then paled when she realized what she was about to do.

"Sesshoumaru…" she gritted out in fury as she rubbed their mating mark. He drugged the tea. Her miko power flared in reaction to her emotions. A cooling sensation washed over her, clearing her mind instantly. Her miko power must have neutralized whatever it was that Sesshoumaru had placed in the tea, she surmised.

Then she was hit by another shot of searing pain as Katsuo pressed her to the futon with his body. Her eyes shot open with horror when she felt his lips on her neck. No, she had to stop him, she thought frantically.

Summoning all the strength she possessed, she pulled her glowing right hand back. "Sorry, Katsuo…But you have to wake up!"

The sound of a hard slap resounded through the room.

Kagome winced and closed her eyes. When she opened it again, Katsuo was some distance away, shaking his head to clear it. A growl escaped his lips before he jumped onto his feet. Then his wild gaze landed on her and his eyes widened in dismay.

"K-Kagome…I'm sorry for-"

She interjected brusquely, "It's not your fault."

Katsuo went to the other end of the room and sat down, glaring at the tray of leftover tea. It seemed that her miko powers had managed to subdue the effect of the tea on Katsuo as well, Kagome thought with no small amount of relief.

Then what she and Katsuo had almost done sank in.

Suddenly she felt weak and drained. It was all just too much for her.

Last night, she had had sex for the first time in her life, and ended up being completely bonded to a demon five hundred years before her birth. And now, she was being forced to break said bond with a half demon's help just because a certain demon could not perform. If that was not bad enough, the very same demon left a pot of tea laced with what could only be aphrodisiac to trick her into having sex with Katsuo, knowing fully well that she would not do it if she was in the right frame of mind.

Her eyes twitched as her fury mounted again, but this time, she also felt bitter. Her chest suddenly felt tight and she found it hard to breathe. Once again, the mating mark reacted, searing her with a blast of pain. Did Sesshoumaru really think that he could do this to them? Did he really view her as just an object to manipulate as and when he wished to do so? Because it definitely looked that way.

"I'm nothing to him," she whispered shakily. "Sesshoumaru just treats me like some object to be used."

Katsuo flicked a pair of worried eyes to her. Scrambling to his feet, Katsuo went to her and knelt down. "That's not true, Kagome."

She laughed humorlessly. "Oh yeah? I don't see it."

"Lord Sesshoumaru does not show his emotions. But surely you could tell that he trusts you."

Kagome snorted. "What are you saying, Katsuo? That he trusts me? Sure I believe that," she retorted sarcastically.

"To a certain extent, yes. He…tolerates a lot of things from you. Half the things you said to him, if it was someone else, they would have been beheaded by now. He treats you much better than anyone else," Katsuo insisted. "You just don't see it."

Kagome frowned. Most of the time, she was just so annoyed at Sesshoumaru for something or other that she could not see straight. But now that she thought about it, Katsuo might be right. Sesshoumaru could be nice sometimes, even though he did it in his usual arrogant manner. Like the time he assigned Shin to guard her. And the time he 'protected' her from his inuyoukai warrior who had landed in the hotsprings while she was bathing. And the time he tried to reassure her before they had to complete the mating.

But knowing all that just made her feel worse because all of that was just a lie, right? She only needed to look around the barricaded room to know that he did not trust her. Not only that, he obviously cared nothing for how she felt about sleeping with someone else. The intensity of the pain increased, causing her to choke in a few desperate lungfuls of air. Kami, what was happening to the mating mark? Could she feel even more miserable?

"Kagome?"

Her lips twisted bitterly as she glanced at the anxious hanyou. "It doesn't matter, does it? The whole thing was just an accident and I think I've done my part in trying to fix it. We had everything planned. HE was supposed to break the bond."

She took a deep breath as another shot of pain lanced through her, this time centering on her chest. Was this what heartbreak felt like? How could her heart break when she did not even have such feelings towards Sesshoumaru? Sure she thought she liked him, but that hardly qualified as love. But this feeling, this pain, it was real.

It hurt that Sesshoumaru had ordered Katsuo to have sex with her.

It hurt that Sesshoumaru had drugged their tea.

And it hurt that Sesshoumaru thought so little of her.

As hot tears burned her lids, her breath became shallower.

"Kagome…" Katsuo's calls were becoming increasingly frantic.

Her friend's concern for her was the last straw. The tears that she had been holding back began to trail down her cheeks unchecked. The pressure in her chest intensified, radiating outwards to the rest of her body.

"H-How could he?" she choked out, curling into a ball on her futon. "I know he's a demon and all, but doesn't he CARE at all?"

Katsuo rubbed her arm. "Kagome, you've got to calm down," he insisted urgently.

Her breath hitched in her throat. "Do you understand? I feel like I got cheated. He was nice to me, but only because he wanted something from me. He said he'll be the one to break the bond, but now, he expects us to do it. So how could he trap us both in here like this? Not to mention he drug the tea. He probably don't care, but I have feelings, Katsuo!" she wailed with a choked sob.

Katsuo quickly said, "I understand, Kagome. But Lord Sesshoumaru-"

"NO! Don't defend him! What he did was WRONG!" she yelled. Katsuo's image was blurry in front of her, but wracked with pain everywhere on her body, she simply did not care. She just needed to get this all out of her system before she exploded. She did not know what it was but she could feel something around her straining to break apart.

Sucking in a shaky breath, she continued to rant, "He didn't even care enough of what I think of this entire sick idea, he just force it on me. On us! What did he think? That I'm cold like him? That I won't feel a thing? Did he think that I'll just have sex with him if I don't feel SOMETHING for him?"

No, she did not just say that. It was all this stress, making her say things which she did not mean. Because there was no way she felt something for someone who did not care for her at all.

"Kagome…"

It was getting too painful for her to think straight. All she knew was that she had trusted him. She had trusted him and he betrayed her with this stupid plan of his.

Betrayal.

The word echoed through her mind.

Was Sesshoumaru's betrayal the cause of this blinding pain? Did this mean that the bond would be broken? Had Sesshoumaru planned for this to happen all this time because he knew that she would feel betrayed by his actions?

Her heartbeat pounded loud in her ears as her body continued to throb. Gasping, her hand shot to her chest as she tried to drag in some air past her constricted throat. Spots were appearing in her vision and she could barely think straight.

"Kagome!"

The pain was too much for her to bear.

She screamed.

"KAGOME!"

Then there was nothing.

* * *

The miko's scream reverberated throughout the castle.

The sensation on his neck where the mating mark was placed could no longer be described as mere discomfort, but a full blown throbbing. And it only intensified by the moment, making it almost impossible for him to breath. The urge to find the miko was now overwhelming.

His body suddenly went rigid. A snarl of pain escaped his lips as he slumped to the floor. Kept immobile by the blinding pain, Sesshoumaru could do nothing but concentrate on his breathing as he propped himself up on his hands and knees.

Despising his own weakness, he forced himself to his feet.

Then the pain was gone.

Unable to refrain himself, Sesshoumaru left his chamber and rapidly made his way to the miko's quarters. As her shoji screen came into view, he flicked a wrist to dissolve the restraining barrier around the chamber.

But before he could slide open the shoji screen, it did so by itself, revealing a tousled-looking Katsuo. Sesshoumaru felt something tighten within him at the sight of a red bite mark on Katsuo's chest, where the lapels of his kimono parted. The aphrodisiac he had asked Natsumi to add to their tea had obviously worked.

Not meeting his eyes, Katsuo simply bowed stiffly before he rushed out of the room, bringing with him an unmistakable scent of arousal. Sesshoumaru's hands clenched into fists, attempting to calm the blinding rage which suddenly gripped him. There was no longer any reason for him to feel possessive over the miko. However, he could barely restrain himself from sinking his claws into his general's neck.

This very fact disturbed him greatly.

Forcibly dismissing the thought, he took a cautious step into the chamber. His breath caught as the miko's unconscious form came into view. The tightness in his chest worsened as he took in her pale features. He had felt her pain through their bond and he was certain that she had taken the full brunt of it. It was not meant to be this way. He was supposed to be the one who betrayed her, thus absorbing the bulk of the pain associated with the bond breaking.

Sliding the screen shut behind him, he closed the gap between them and knelt down beside her futon, his eyes sweeping across her features. Her eyes were shadowed, displaying her exhaustion and her tear-stained cheeks lacked their usual blush, once again bringing forth now familiar feeling of remorse within him. Without a conscious thought, he trailed the pad of his fingers from her forehead down the curve of her cheeks. Then he stilled when his fingers reached a faint red mark on her neck.

His fingers curled into fists.

"Katsuo…" he gritted out before he could stop himself. He realized that Katsuo could not have possibly disobeyed the orders, however, Sesshoumaru could not suppress his anger at the entire situation. At least Katsuo had covered her body before he left.

Sesshoumaru eyes flicked to the other side of her neck. The side where the mating mark had laid, but was no longer present. His hand snapped up to touch his own neck, encountering nothing but smooth skin. A strange feeling of numbness enveloped him as realization dawned.

The bond had been broken.

The bond had been broken, he repeated again to himself.

Sesshoumaru knew that he should be pleased that the bond between him and the miko was finally broken but somehow, he felt nothing but remorse and betrayal. The odd mix of feeling intensified each time his eyes swept over her. Although his mind understood that the betrayal was necessary to free them both from the bond, something within him was unable to accept that fact.

They had accomplished their objective, he insisted to himself. He should no longer be troubled by it.

His eyes returned to the miko's pale features. Breaking the bond had taken too much from her. His chest constricted suddenly at the realization that things would never be the same between them. He was under no illusion that the miko would no doubt despise him after this incident. But mattered not, he told himself. This _thing_ he was feeling was simply the lingering effect of the mating bond. It was this effect which urged him to gather the miko in his arms to soothe her pain.

His lips tightened.

This was not acceptable. He did not know how long such notions would continue to aggravate him, but he could not afford to be distracted by such weakness. He had a duty to his lands. Distractions were not welcomed and should be eliminated.

Perhaps it was time to release the miko. Even though her training was not complete, she was already able to control her powers quite well. Perhaps that would be sufficient to release Inuyasha. After all, that was the only real reason he tolerated her presence.

Yes, he would demand that she complete this task in exchange for her freedom.

* * *

A/N: It looks like Sesshoumaru is feeling a little mixed up (grins). I hope you have enjoyed the chapter – See? No cliffhanger this time. Hehe! Please review if you can. Thanks! 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews for the last chapter! Here is the next chapter for your reading pleasure. It is long, so get comfortable and please enjoy!

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 13**

"OI!"

Sesshoumaru jerked, his eyes snapping up until his gaze landed on a familiar pair of golden orbs. Clad in his usual jeans and red top, Inuyasha was peering at him curiously from across the dojo. Irked at the interruption to his task of recollecting his memories, Sesshoumaru's lips instantly tightened.

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru ground out. "One would think that after so many centuries, you would learn the value of self preservation."

"Keh! Threatening me again?" Inuyasha retorted. Then he leapt forward until they were about an arm's length apart. "What's up with you anyway?" he asked gruffly, dropping to his haunches.

Still seated cross-legged on the dojo mat, Sesshoumaru simply stared wordlessly at his brother.

Gesturing in no particular direction, Inuyasha continued impatiently, "You seem to be so out of it these days."

Quirking a brow, Sesshoumaru asked dryly, "Are you concerned for my wellbeing, little brother?"

Inuyasha snorted. "I have better things to do. I came here to let you know that Myoga delivered the antidote to his mosquito friends."

"Hn."

Perhaps if he ignored Inuyasha, the hanyou would leave him to his own thoughts. He still felt slightly numb from the flashes of his lost memories. The bond was broken by the miko, Sesshoumaru thought as his hands went up reflexively to his neck to feel the smooth skin. Such a thing would have inflicted no small amount of pain on her. And like his past self, he was gripped by an unfamiliar feeling of remorse.

He knew now that the incident could have been handled in a more delicate manner, instead of the path chosen by his past self. What his past self had done was bordering on dishonorable, and Sesshoumaru felt nothing but distaste at those actions.

"He said that in a couple of days, everyone would be bitten." Inuyasha laughed before he continued, "Can you imagine being vaccinated by mosquitoes? Whatever Naraku is planning, at least his poison won't work anymore on both humans and demons."

"Hn."

Sesshoumaru glanced down to his folded hands. What concerned him most was his reaction to the entire event. Looking back, he was certain that the miko and Katsuo had not copulated. However, it appeared that his past self had been simply too distraught and too caught up in his own distress to realize that. Although there had been a scent of arousal, there was none which indicated that they had rutted. Therefore, the bond must have been broken by some other means.

His past self might not comprehend it, but five centuries had given him a slightly wider perspective. And Sesshoumaru could tell from the flashes of his memories that he had formed an attachment to the miko. The astonishing thing was that the attachment seemed to be independent of the bond. He, Sesshoumaru, had cared for the miko and in reaction to that, he wanted to distance himself from the miko. Hence his decision to set her free.

It was odd how obvious everything was, now that he looked upon the events from afar.

"Damn it, Sesshoumaru! Are you listening?" Inuyasha snapped impatiently.

Sesshoumaru flicked his eyes at the scowling hanyou with annoyance. However, before he could say anything, his senses pricked at him. Inuyasha's sudden stillness told him that the hanyou had also sensed the same thing.

"Did you feel that?" Inuyasha asked quietly, slowly getting to his feet, his expression displaying his wariness.

"Hn."

It was a heavy pulse of demonic energy. One which was oddly familiar. It did not take long before Sesshoumaru recognized it for what it was. When comprehension dawned, a slow smile grew upon his lips.

The sword was complete.

Without a single word to Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru stood up and strode out of the door leading to the outside of the dojo.

"Oi! Where are you going?"

Sesshoumaru did not bother to reply. After all, this had nothing to do with Inuyasha. In a flash, he morphed into his energy orb and sped through the late afternoon sky, his senses directing his travel. The heavy pulse of demonic energy intensified as he traveled, until his eyes detected a red glow in the distance. It looked as if it originated from an abandoned building.

Sesshoumaru swooped down towards it, and then slipped through a broken window. When he rematerialized, his gaze instantly snapped to a wall at the end of what appeared to be an old living room. His eyes widened slightly at the view which greeted him.

"The blade… Toukijin," Kaijinbou choked out as he gripped the hilt of the sword which was buried in his chest, thick red blood covering his hands. His blood dripped down, smearing the peeled wall. "P-Please, get Toukijin away from me."

Then the demonic sword pulsed once, and Sesshoumaru watched with interest as the swordsmith's flesh began to turn to dust.

What used to be Kaijinbou was now nothing but a shrunken skeleton covered in tattered clothing, pinned to the wall. The scent of blood was thick in the air, but Sesshoumaru could not take his eyes away from the pulsing sword. It was clear that the strength of sword had driven the swordsmith insane, up to the point that he was unable to refrain from killing himself under the sword's influence.

Sesshoumaru smirked. Such a sword could only be wielded by one with great strength and self-discipline.

Suddenly, his senses alerted him to an approaching demon. His eyes narrowed when the identity of the intruder sank in. Turning around smoothly, he waited until Naraku presented himself.

"Why, Sesshoumaru," the hanyou drawled as he stepped into the dusty room. "How nice to see you here."

Sesshoumaru regarded Naraku wordlessly, his lips curling slightly in distaste. He did not need to ask Naraku for his reason of being there. Undoubtedly, the hanyou had felt the power of Toukijin and recognized a part of Goshinki in it.

"I believe you have something of mine," Naraku continued, apparently unfazed by his silence.

Raising a brow, Sesshoumaru asked levelly, "And what might that be?"

Flicking his gaze at the sword, Naraku said, "I think you know."

"Enlighten me."

Naraku's expression tightened. "You dare to stand there and say that the sword was not forged from some part of Goshinki? Goshinki belongs to be. And now, that sword belongs to me."

"He attacked what is mine and this sword is the repayment for his foolishness," Sesshoumaru pointed out calmly. Inside, he was seething at the fact that Naraku did not even bother to deny his involvement with Goshinki. The hanyou was certainly foolish if he thought to challenge this Sesshoumaru in such a manner.

Naraku widened his eyes. Then the corner of his lips tilted as he bowed mockingly. "I see. I apologize for my underling's misdemeanor."

Sesshoumaru had to refrain from growling. Insincerity seeped out of Naraku's words and if there was something Sesshoumaru despised, it was this particular trait which Naraku seemed to have an unending supply of. Perhaps, while they were still conversing, he should attempt to question the hanyou.

Watching Naraku carefully, Sesshoumaru asked smoothly, "It has come to my attention that you are responsible for the recent rising of demonic activities in Japan."

Naraku arched a brow, his smile still intact. "I'm pleased that you've noticed."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. One could hardly miss such a thing. "What is your purpose in attacking us?" he asked, even though he knew that it was unlikely for Naraku to give him a straightforward reply.

"You think too much of yourself, Sesshoumaru. It's not only you I'm interested in. I have a bigger plan," Naraku replied in a mocking tone.

Willing himself to remain calm, Sesshoumaru intoned, "You will cease your foolishness."

Naraku simply laughed. "Surely you don't think I was going to obey your orders, Sesshoumaru."

"Perhaps it would be healthier for you if you do so," Sesshoumaru rebutted, injecting a hint of threat in his voice.

"And if I refuse?" Naraku retorted.

"Then you will suffer the consequences."

"Is that a threat?" Naraku asked silkily, his smile now gone.

Sesshoumaru smirked. "A promise."

Naraku raised a brow. "And you don't even want to know why I'm doing this?"

"It doesn't interest me."

"It might interest you once you hear what I have to say," Naraku persisted. "I assure you, if we work together, it will benefit both of us."

Sesshoumaru simply regarded him silently. It would do no harm to listen to the hanyou's reasons. Nevertheless, it would change nothing of his dislike for Naraku's schemes.

Taking his silence as a sign to continue, Naraku went ahead, "You see, Sesshoumaru. A number of demons, me included, are not too happy about the way things are nowadays. Actually, you'd be surprised just how many of us share the same view."

"Differences in opinions are inevitable," Sesshoumaru pointed out. An unfamiliar feeling of trepidation crept up his spine when he realized what Naraku had in mind.

Naraku nodded. "True. But in this case, we can do something about it. Why do demons have to hide and conceal themselves when we are the stronger species? With our powers, we could rise and rule the world, instead of bowing down to the human culture."

"Have you forgotten why it was deemed necessary in the first place?" Sesshoumaru asked, keeping his tone even.

Snorting, Naraku returned, "That's because we were not working together. If demons work together, then the world is ours. It's simple."

"You speak of the strength of demons, and yet, you are half human."

Naraku's face contorted into an expression of disgust. "There is nothing of that filthy human bandit in me," he declared heatedly.

Sesshoumaru smirked. He seemed to have touched a nerve. So, Naraku wish to rule the world had stemmed from his own feelings of inadequacy due to his heritage. How pathetic. At least now, Sesshoumaru understood the reason behind the attacks. And that Naraku needed to be stopped before his scheme advanced further.

Ensuring that his expression remained bland, Sesshoumaru asked, "Who else?"

The insincere smile returned to Naraku's lips. "Now, I'm afraid I can't divulge such information. However, if you join us, I'd be more than happy to enlighten you."

If there was no more information to be gained, there was no longer any need for pretence. Sesshoumaru's lips curled. "I decline."

Naraku's eyes narrowed in anger just as Sesshoumaru's senses tingled at the approach of a familiar youki. It was not long before the owner of said youki landed at the window, Tetsusaiga propped on one shoulder.

"Inuyasha. Do not interfere," Sesshoumaru warned.

"So what's all the fuss?" Inuyasha snapped as he jumped from the sill. His eyes narrowed as he saw Naraku. "Should have known that you'd be involved. What is your problem anyway?"

Naraku smirked at him. "No problem at all." Then his eyes narrowed. "Not after I send you and your brother to your miserable deaths." With that, he raised an arm.

A series of tentacles exploded from the hanyou, striking out towards them. In a swift move, Sesshoumaru lunged to one side. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noted that Inuyasha had gone the opposite direction, Tetsusaiga now unsheathed. For a brief moment, Sesshoumaru felt the rise of his ire that their father had chosen to bestow the sword upon Inuyasha, instead of him. Then he brushed the thought away. He did not need Tetsusaiga now that Toukijin was within reach, he thought as he flexed his claws.

While Inuyasha charged forward, fangs bared, Sesshoumaru flicked a glance at the sword which was still embedded in the wall. Toukijin was his objective all along, not Naraku. The dark haired hanyou was simply a distraction.

The sound of metal slicing through flesh sounded, followed by a grunt. A quick glance told Sesshoumaru that although Inuyasha had managed to slice off one of Naraku's tentacles, it was a pointless action, since the tentacle slithered back to Naraku soon afterwards. Growling, Inuyasha charged again. Jumping away from Inuyasha's attack, Naraku directed his hungry gaze towards Toukijin. His intent was clear.

No, such a sword would not belong to such a lowly hanyou, Sesshoumaru thought as he immediately streaked across the room. As his fingers closed around Toukijin's hilt, Naraku released a roar of anger.

Inuyasha laughed mockingly as he swung Tetsusaiga forward. "Lost something, Naraku?"

More tentacles exploded from Naraku's back as he rounded on Inuyasha. "You will die tonight," he spat.

Ignoring the commotion around him, Sesshoumaru pulled the sword out of the wall, observing impassively as Kaijinbou's skeleton turned to ash. Marveling at the pulsing demonic power, Sesshoumaru did nothing to prevent a smirk from reaching his lips as he held Toukijin in front of him. His arms thrummed as the sword flared dark red in an attempt to gain control over his body. Sesshoumaru smirk widened as he expanded his youki, forcing the sword to obey his command.

Toukijin flared red last time before it simmered down in obeisance. Satisfaction coursed through him.

"Hn."

Then Sesshoumaru spun around to face the fighting half-demons, feeling a rush of anticipation at the pending battle. Toukijin would be tested today. It would prove its own worth.

"Inuyasha. Step aside," Sesshoumaru instructed smoothly.

Naraku laughed. "You finally decide to save your little brother?" he mocked as he flung a dark tentacle towards Inuyasha.

"Shut up and fight!" Inuyasha snapped as he tore another of Naraku's tentacle away.

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru gritted out in warning as he tightened his grip on Toukijin. He could not attack while Inuyasha was in the way. His father would be most displeased if his eldest killed his youngest pup.

Ducking another tentacle, Inuyasha retorted irritably, "Can't you see I'm busy here?"

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned in annoyance. So be it, he thought as he raised his free hand. With a flick of his wrist, his poison whip snapped out towards Inuyasha. His brother's eyes widened slightly before he launched himself out of the way. Finally.

"Hey! What the hell was that for?" Inuyasha bellowed indignantly.

Ignoring Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru held the Toukijin in front of him and focused his power on the dark-haired hanyou. Naraku took a wary step backwards but before he could move further, a bright bolt of energy shot out from Toukijin towards the hanyou.

Eyes widening, Naraku's held his arms out and a purple barrier instantly formed around him. A snarl escaped his lips as he glared murderously at Sesshoumaru through the barrier.

Unperturbed, Sesshoumaru channeled more youki into the blade. To his satisfaction, Toukijin obeyed once again, delivering another blast towards the barrier. The air shook with the buildup of energy as Naraku's barrier wavered under the attack.

Through the barrier, Sesshoumaru saw Naraku smirk before he lifted his arms.

The sudden burst of energy nearly threw him back, but Sesshoumaru stood his ground as smoke filled the room. When the smoke cleared, Naraku was nowhere to be seen. Sesshoumaru's lips thinned in annoyance. Their past encounters were nothing but minor skirmishes over territory, but now it appeared that Naraku had grown stronger and more ambitious. And increasingly foolish. Now that he knew what Naraku was up to, the only thing left to do was to stop him. Unfortunately, destroying Naraku was harder than he had anticipated. He needed to come up with a plan, and fast.

"Damn it! I'd forgotten that he always does that. Coward," Inuyasha gritted out as he resheathed Tetsusaiga. Then his eyes went to Toukijin. "What the hell is that?"

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow.

Inuyasha huffed and turned around. "Never mind. I don't want to know. I'm heading back home," he said as he jumped onto the window sill. "You coming?"

"Hn."

Sesshoumaru's eyes went to the sword slung over Inuyasha's shoulders and his brows creased in a frown when something occurred to him. Tetsusaiga's appearance had been and still was a mystery to all of them. Neither of them could remember how it had ended up with Inuyasha.

The pattern fitted the rest of the unexplained occurrences in the past, such as Inuyasha's release.

After the last flashback, Sesshoumaru was certain that he understood the mystery surrounding Inuyasha's release from the Goshinboku. The hanyou had been released by the miko.

The events leading to Tetsusaiga's appearance, however, still remained unknown.

"Inuyasha."

The hanyou stilled and then glanced over his shoulders, quirking a questioning brow as he did so.

"Do you recall how did you obtain Tetsusaiga?" Sesshoumaru asked evenly.

Still perched on the window sill, Inuyasha's eyes widened slightly before he adopted his usual frown. "What are you talking about? We talked about this before, didn't we? I told you I don't remember a thing," Inuyasha replied brashly.

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened at his tone, but pressed on, "It is possible that your memory might return. Have you experienced such a thing?"

The hanyou swallowed, his eyes flickering in obvious indecision. Then, slowly, he stepped down from the window sill. Lifting a hand, he rubbed the back of his neck, a definite sign of his uncertainty.

Impatient for an answer, Sesshoumaru gritted out, "It is a simple question, Inuyasha."

"It's strange, but I've been having… dreams," Inuyasha admitted quietly as his frown deepened.

So, the memory loss was affecting Inuyasha as well. It probably affected everyone in contact with the miko, seeing that those were the only memories which had been most elusive. It was… interesting that it only gradually returned in recent months.

"What does the dreams tell you?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Inuyasha's astonished eyes shot up to his. Then, lowering his gaze, he shook his head. "I can't believe you're not mocking me about this," he muttered. A wary look then crossed his face. "What's wrong with you?"

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to flick sink his claws into his brother's throat. Was it so difficult for Inuyasha to simply answer the question?

Obviously sensing his displeasure, Inuyasha held his hands up. "Alright, I'm getting there! Don't lose it." A pause followed before he continued, "It's going to sound strange. Tetsusaiga was hidden in father's tomb, in the place between life and death."

Sesshoumaru's brow rose. How could they have traveled to such a place? "Impossible."

Inuyasha laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, that's what I thought too. Look, forget it, alright? They are just dreams."

"You will continue."

Inuyasha blinked incredulously. "Huh? You actually believe this?"

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru bit out in warning. His patience was wearing thin.

"Alright, alright!" Inuyasha continued, "It was stuck in a stone with some spell. Neither of us could pull it out. But there was this miko… She managed to pull it out."

"Ridiculous," Sesshoumaru intoned, disbelief lacing that one word. From what he could recall, as powerful as she had been, the miko's strength did not surpass his. Unless, of course, she had improved further. It was entirely possible, considering that his own flashbacks and dreams had not arrived at this point in time just yet.

Waving a dismissive hand, Inuyasha exclaimed gruffly, "Look, I feel stupid talking about this. So let it drop, alright?"

Sesshoumaru watched silently as the flustered hanyou jumped back onto the window sill and then disappeared from sight. Inuyasha's revelation proved to be interesting. From what he could discern, it appeared that the miko of the past would be spending more time with them. Unfortunately, Inuyasha did not seem inclined to continue with his description of his dreams.

He stepped to the window, preparing to transform into his orb when the sight of the last of the setting sun caught his attention. The sky had looked similar to this one the day he had ordered Katsuo to rut with the miko.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, exasperated with his own meandering thoughts. As of late, he had spent an inordinate amount of time mulling over his past. However, none of the memories disturbed him as greatly as the incident during which the bond had been broken. At the moment, there were gaps in his memory, and there were two individuals who could supply him with the information.

Katsuo and Higurashi Kagome.

His lips tightened. He did not know if Katsuo had been experiencing the dreams, but he suspected that it was so. Nevertheless, speaking to Katsuo with regards to this matter would be nothing short of awkward.

Higurashi Kagome, however, could provide him with the necessary information.

Mind made up, he reached for his cell phone with the intention of calling Natsumi to locate the miko's file on his desk, only to realize that he actually remembered the number. How odd, he thought.

* * *

The white walls of the hospital examination room swayed in front of her. Or maybe it was her that was swaying and not the walls?

Kagome shook her head rapidly, and the walls stopped moving. There was this odd feeling of detachment in her which made this whole moment seem surreal. Slowly, she directed her attention back to the silent woman beside her, knowing that a response was expected of her.

"Are you sure?" Kagome whispered as she stared at the gynecologist.

The white-clad figure gave her a curious look. "Yes."

The woman's words continued to ring in her ears. Having suspicions was one thing. Having it confirmed was another. What was she going to do now?

"You do not remember giving birth?" the woman asked, obviously confused.

Kagome blinked. Whichever way she answered it, she would end up sounding like a nutcase. Quickly getting up, she said, "I've got to go."

"Miss Higurashi…"

"Do I pay here or outside?" Kagome interjected quickly, pushing the door to exit the examination room open. She was desperate to get out of there.

The gynecologist stared at her with a confused frown. "Outside," she finally said.

"Thank you," Kagome said, practically running out of the room.

Checking out at the reception, she handed over the money to cover her physical examination and then quickly headed to the exit. It was only after she had left the hospital that her steps finally slowed. She barely noticed the traffic flowing down the streets as she walked numbly towards the shrine, wrapping her arms around her to ward off the evening chill.

The doctor's voice kept echoing in her head.

'_Everything is normal. I can see an incision from the time you gave birth to your child, but it's small and neat. So you don't have anything to worry about.'_

It was not what she had expected to hear at all.

The dream did not prepare her for this, although with each and every dream she had, the whole thing became more and more real to her. But even then, she could still think of it as a dream. Now it was different. Having her suspicions confirmed had done nothing but land her in yet another mass of confusion. Her body would not lie, right? Which meant that she had given birth to a child at some point in her life. Was the child really Sachimaru?

And the father? She swallowed past her dry throat as she realized that everything about Sachimaru pointed to the fact that he could only be Sesshoumaru's son.

Slow down, she told herself. Take a deep breath and think, she added, inhaling deeply.

If that was the case, and that everything that had happened in the dreams were real, she had somehow traveled through time using the well, Kagome thought as she approached the shrine. As she climbed the steps, a vibration against her bag told her that her cell phone was ringing. Reaching into her bag, she pulled it out and peered at the number. It was not one that she recognized. Could it be one of her old friends?

Deciding to risk it, she pressed a button and greeted cautiously, "Hello?"

"Miko."

Kagome instantly froze. She really, really should not have answered it. No one spoke with that voice and in that haughty tone except Sesshoumaru. "Where did you get my number?" she asked tersely.

"I wish to speak to you on your recent dreams," he said, completely ignoring her question.

Kagome snorted. "Oh yeah? Like the one where you drugged the tea to force me to have sex with Katsuo?" Eyes widening, she clapped one hand to her lips, realizing too late what she had just said. She should have said that it was with her past self, not her.

Sesshoumaru did not seem to pick up on her lapse. Instead, he replied, "Yes. I have questions."

She did not want to see him, especially now that she was convinced that she was not just a reincarnation, as well as her confusion regarding Sachimaru's parentage. There was no way she was going to risk anything with him. Her past self might have been more trusting, but she had no intention of making the same mistake.

"I'm busy," she said curtly.

A thick silence reached her. For a moment, Kagome wondered if she had gone too far, that he would retaliate in some painful way. Maybe she should try something else.

"Sesshoumaru…" she said in a softer voice. "Really, it's already late tonight and I have double shift tomorrow. This is not a good time."

A short pause followed before he replied smoothly, "Very well."

Kagome closed her eyes in relief. Just as she thought that she was safe, Sesshoumaru said in a quiet voice, "You cannot avoid this subject forever, Miko."

Then the line went dead.

Kagome lowered her phone and stared at it dumbly. And then she released the breath she did not realize she was holding. Was that a threat? Did it mean that he would keep hassling her until she gave in? Somehow, it seemed pretty likely, she thought with a grimace as she placed her cellphone back in her bag.

Deciding to deal with it when it happened, she climbed up the remainder of the steps, and then made her way to her house.

"Hello, I'm home," she greeted as she stepped in. When her eyes landed on her grandfather, who was in the middle of making more sutras, she walked up to him. "More of those, Jii-chan?"

"It will protect us," her grandfather declared, moustache twitching. "Your mother and Souta are visiting the neighbors. Sachimaru is upstairs, waiting for you," he continued without looking up.

"Alright," she said, making her way to her son's room.

The boy was absorbed in the GameBoy she had given him last year. Standing at the doorway, she gazed at him softly until he raised his golden eyes to meet hers. Was he really hers? A DNA check would be able to tell, but wouldn't that expose Sachimaru as a half-demon? Was exposure such a bad thing?

"Okaa-san!" he exclaimed, dropping the game to rush towards her. He had stayed up to wait for her, seeing that he was already dressed in his pajamas.

She knelt down to envelope him in a hug, rubbing her cheek against his silver head as she did so. It looked like he had gotten over their argument last night, she thought with relief. She had been worried when she had seen how withdrawn he was earlier today, just before she left for the hospital for her appointment.

"Ready for bed?" she asked, pulling away.

Sachimaru nodded before climbing into his bed. Once settled, he asked, "Okaa-san, can I hear the rest of the story?"

Kagome closed her eyes, wishing that she had not had the great idea of telling Sachimaru her dreams in the first place. Especially now that she was almost convinced that he was Sesshoumaru's child. And hers.

"Okaa-san?"

She sighed and then nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Where was I?"

"The demon lord wants the miko to kiss with his general to break the bond." Sachimaru's face scrunched up. "Because it means that she would betray him."

Kagome laughed weakly. If only it was as simple as a kiss. But she had to tone things down for Sachimaru's innocent ears. "Ah, yes. But the miko refused to do it."

Sachimaru's eyes widened. "The demon lord did not force her, did he? Because that would be bad."

Well, she supposed that the spiked tea could qualify as that. It was a good thing that her miko powers had managed to neutralize the effects of the tea, otherwise she and Katsuo might very well have had sex. But she still could not quite figure out if Sesshoumaru had done it on purpose so that she would feel betrayed. It was entirely possible that he had not even considered the possibility that the act of betrayal in the scroll meant the betrayal of the heart and mind, and not physical betrayal such as cheating.

"Okaa-san?"

Turning her attention back to Sachimaru, she improvised, "No. Sesshoumaru only locked the miko and Katsuo in the room. They did not kiss, but the miko got very, very upset. So upset that she was crying."

Sachimaru looked horrified. "Why?"

"Because she felt betrayed that the demon lord was forcing her into something that she did not want. He was supposed to break the bond by kissing another woman," she explained.

"I don't want him to kiss another woman," Sachimaru interjected with a frown.

Dumbfounded by his words, Kagome simply gaped for a moment. It sounded like Sachimaru had developed some kind of fascination with Sesshoumaru even without meeting him. She did not even dare to think of what might happen if he met Sesshoumaru in person.

Carefully, she ventured, "Why not? You prefer that the miko kiss another man?"

Sachimaru shook his head vehemently. "No. But I don't understand why they have to break the bond."

"Because the miko wants to go home."

Sachimaru frowned thoughtfully. "I don't think she's unhappy there with the demon lord."

Kagome wanted to groan. Kami, why did she always land herself with these kind of questions? If she had not known better, she would have thought that Sachimaru was playing matchmaker. But his innocent proclamation nudged at her, reminding her that although she had been desperate to leave, she was not exactly unhappy. Before the entire mating debacle, her days had been filled with training and helping Sesshoumaru out occasionally with his scrolls, and the rest of the time, chatting with the servants and guards. It was hardly a torture.

"No, she's not unhappy," Kagome admitted, sounding resigned. "She just misses her own family. Won't you miss me if you don't see me?"

Sachimaru sat up. "Of course I will!"

"See?"

Slumping back into bed, he asked, "So, did the bond break?"

Kagome nodded. "The miko felt betrayed by Sesshoumaru."

"Because he promised her before that he would break it and now he's tricking her into kissing Katsuo?" Sachimaru asked with a small frown, obviously trying to digest the information.

Kagome nodded. "Yes… Because betrayal doesn't mean that Katsuo and the miko have to kiss. Betrayal can take another form."

"The miko felt a lot of pain?"

"Yes. Breaking the bond was so painful for her that she fainted," she explained. A ghost of said pain ran down her body suddenly. It felt so real to her, she thought. And she knew why. Because her subconscious still remembered it.

"Did he come to check on her afterwards? The demon lord, I mean," Sachimaru asked.

Kagome frowned. There was a part of her dreams where everything seemed fuzzy, but she could almost swear that Sesshoumaru had lain beside her for a while before she woke up. Brows furrowing, she tried to recall what had happened, and came up with the blurry image of Sesshoumaru's face bending down close to hers, his eyes troubled.

"Okaa-san?" Sachimaru prompted.

Giving her son a small smile, Kagome said, "I think so."

A thoughtful frown crossed Sachimaru's face. "Maybe Sesshoumaru wants to make sure that she is okay?" he suggested. "Maybe he feels bad."

Kagome blinked. It had never occurred to her, but what Sachimaru said could be true. Did it mean that Sesshoumaru really cared for her past self after all? Combined with the troubled look in his eyes, there was every indication that Sesshoumaru regretted his actions.

"Maybe," she admitted cautiously.

A smile flitted across Sachimaru's lips as he closed his eyes. "He cares for her," he said before yawning widely.

Kagome felt her breath hitch in her throat. It is unbelievable how Sachimaru could come up with these insightful comments. Unsure how to respond, she simply tucked the covers up to her son's chin and said, "Goodnight, Sachimaru. Sleep well."

"'Night, Okaa-san."

She sat there by his bed, watching as his breath evened out, telling her that he had fallen asleep. Could it be real? Could it be that Sachimaru was really her biological son? She sighed, lifting a hand to brush away a stray strand of silver hair from his forehead.

The manner in which Sachimaru had appeared so near the well, as well as the fact that no one came forward to claim him, indicated that there was more to the story. How did a boy end up in the shrine just like that? Could it be that he had appeared from the well? The very same well that she had fallen into at the beginning of her dreams?

Kagome frowned as something occurred to her. If her calculations were correct, everything in her dreams had happened in the time that she was supposed to be in a coma, shortly after her fifteenth birthday. And she had found him soon after she had woken up from her supposed coma. That was three years ago.

Unless, of course, her coma was not real. If the dreams were her memories, then the two year coma was the time she had actually spent in the feudal era.

Something her mother had said sometime ago came to mind, and Kagome instantly felt chilled. When she had told her mother about her dreams for the first time, she had joked that she wanted to try jumping into the well. Her mother's reaction had been unexpectedly intense.

"No…" she whispered as the implications sank in.

She was sure now that her mother knew more than she had let on. But why bother hiding anything from her? If her mother knew what was going on with the dreams and all, why could she not have explained?

Standing up, Kagome returned to her own room.

Tomorrow. She would speak to her mother first thing in the morning. In the meantime, she would sleep and if tonight was like every other night, she would hopefully get more answers to her questions.

* * *

Kagome cracked open her eyes and turned on her side as the first tendrils of wakefulness trickled over her. Strange, she could have sworn that she just saw Sesshoumaru leave, she thought as she sat up. Come to think of it, she remembered sleeping pressed against something comfortably warm last night. She blinked, wondering if it was all just her imagination or Sesshoumaru had really been in there.

Standing up, she groaned at the slightly achy feel to her body, bringing back memories of what had happened last night.

Her lips instantly tightened. The feeling of betrayal still seemed so fresh in her mind. Her brows furrowed in thought. So, the bond had been broken because she felt betrayed by him. Sesshoumaru could have told her his plan. But then again, if she had known about it, she probably would not feel as betrayed, which meant that the bond would still be intact. Sighing in irritation, she stood up and began to dress.

The shoji screen slid open just as she finished dressing. Surprised, she spun around to find Sesshoumaru stepping into her room, wearing his usual stoic expression.

"Miko."

Remnants of last night's events still whirring in her mind, Kagome stiffened. "You could have told us! Do you have any idea how bad it was after we drank the tea?" she complained indignantly.

"It was necessary." His tone was flat.

"No, it wasn't!" she exclaimed heatedly. "It-"

He interjected firmly, "Nevertheless, the bond is broken and we will not discuss this matter any further."

"But, it wasn't-"

He interjected stonily, "Miko."

She glared at him. He obviously did not want to talk about it. Then a flash of something in his eyes caught her off guard. Was Sesshoumaru actually feeling guilty about what he had done? Was that why he did not want to talk about it?

She took a deep breath. "Fine!" She frowned thoughtfully before she continued, "So what are you doing here if you don't want to discuss what happened last night?"

He regarded her silently. "You have a task to perform. Once it is complete, you may leave."

She blinked slowly. "You mean you're going to let me go?" Was that what he meant by 'leave'? As in, she could go home?

"Hn."

He was serious! She brightened instantly, her heart swelling at the thought of finally being able to see her family. Then she sobered up. She had no idea where the well was. Jii-chan had always called it the Bone-Eaters' Well, but she did not know if Sesshoumaru knew about it. She would do whatever he asked so long as it meant that she could go home.

"Uhmm… After I perform this… task, can you bring me to the Bone-Eaters' Well?" she asked uncertainly.

His eyes widened in surprise. "You live in the village near the well?"

Not knowing what else to say, Kagome simply nodded and held her breath. It was a good sign that he knew the well, but why was he so surprised?

"You will be directed to the well once you complete the task."

She closed her eyes briefly and breathed out gratefully, "Thank you. When are we leaving?"

"Now."

He glanced around the room. His voice was flat when he said, "Should you wish to bring anything with you, you are permitted to do so. This Sesshoumaru will meet you in the courtyard." With that, he spun around and slipped through the shoji screen.

Once he had disappeared from her sight, she was gripped by an odd mix feeling she could not understand. She was excited at the prospect of finally returning home, but she was a little sad at the thought of leaving this place. Not that Sesshoumaru wanted her here, from the sounds of it. She sighed as she went to the chest, pulling out some items from it.

What did she expect? That he would ask her to stay? Not that she could, anyway.

Kagome sighed as she placed the uniform Akiyama had brought back to her into a pouch. Then she picked up the kimono Katsuo and Natsumi had given her weeks ago as a present, holding it up to her eyes. She should pack it and bring it home with her to remember her time here.

Come to think of it, where was Natsumi? She had not seen the girl ever since last night, when she had brought in the tea. It was important that she explained to Natsumi that nothing happened between her and Katsuo. Except imprinting his teeth mark on her skin. Grimacing, she rubbed the bite mark on her shoulder which he had given her while intoxicated. It was good that it did not pierce her skin, otherwise she did not know what would have happened, considering how the entire mess with Sesshoumaru had started in the first place.

Finishing with her pouch, Kagome slung it over her shoulders and walked out of the room. She stood at the screen, glancing backwards for one last time at the room she had occupied for months, mentally saying goodbye to it. Then she turned around and made her way to the courtyard.

Instead of Sesshoumaru, Katsuo was there when she stepped out into the sun. Instantly, everything that had happened last night came back to her.

"Katsuo," she called out.

"Are you alright?" the general asked carefully. "I was actually on my way to see you."

Katsuo was such a good friend, Kagome thought warmly as she nodded. "A little achy, but otherwise fine."

"That's good. But it's probably better for you to rest a little." Then a furrow appeared between his brows. "Have you spoken to Lord Sesshoumaru about what happened last night?" he asked.

"Well, a little. But I think Sesshoumaru doesn't want to talk about it," she said with a sigh.

"I need to confess soon," Katsuo muttered worriedly. "The longer I wait, the worse it's going to be."

Kagome frowned in confusion. "Confess what?"

"That I haven't obeyed his orders. I should expect his punishment. Might as well get it over with," he muttered, sounding resigned.

For a moment, she had no idea what he was talking about. Then when it sank in, she exploded incredulously, "WHAT? Hang on a minute. There's no reason for him to punish you when the bond is already broken. And from what I could see, he deliberately gave that order so that I feel betrayed."

"Unless he did not know," Katsuo muttered.

Growing more confused by the second, Kagome asked, "Didn't know what?"

"That if you felt hurt and betrayed by him, the bond would be broken."

Kagome's eyes widened as his words sank in. It was possible that Sesshoumaru did not know about it. Come to think of it, if he had known that it was not necessary for them to cheat that way, they could have found an easier way to betray each other. After all, he had said nothing about it before he called for the demonesses. What if Sesshoumaru had every intention of making her go through with it all along?

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Then she shook her head. No. She was being silly, right? The demonesses were probably part of the plan. Sighing, Kagome lifted a hand to rub at her brows. It was too early in the morning to think about this.

"Wait a while, let me think this through."

"There's nothing to think about. I disobeyed a direct order, Kagome," Katsuo said dejectedly.

Kagome groaned. "Katsuo, really. Don't tell him. You need to explain things to Natsumi, not Sesshoumaru."

"But-"

"No! You're not telling him anything. As far as he know, you followed your orders and that's the end of it," Kagome insisted. "Anyway, we won't care if we actually done anything, right? It's not like we were really mates." She felt a pang in her chest at the thought. Then she sighed, "What's the point anyway? It's all over."

Katsuo frowned. "Over?"

"I'm leaving."

"Why?" he asked, obviously shocked. Only then did his eyes focus on the pouch on her shoulder.

She lowered her eyes. "I need to go home. I'm not from here and I've been away for far too long. My family must be worried sick by now."

Katsuo fell silent for a moment. Then he asked quietly, "You'll visit us later?"

Kagome felt her heart clench. She would miss them, but she had to go home. "I don't think I can," she whispered. Taking a step towards him, she threw her arms around the stunned hanyou. "I'll miss you. Thanks for being my friend," she muttered into his chest.

"Kagome…" he began, pulling away to look into her eyes. "Surely you can come back here. Or at least, tell me where you are. Natsumi and I could come visit if you don't feel comfortable coming back here after…"

Shaking her head, she said, "I can't tell you." He would not believe her anyway.

Before he could reply, Kagome felt the approach of the demon lord. Flicking her eyes sideways, she saw Sesshoumaru's eyes narrow as his gaze landed on Katsuo. Beside her, the hanyou flinched before letting her go. No doubt Katsuo was feeling guilty about not telling Sesshoumaru the truth. But she did not see any point in him getting punished for no reason.

If she had to lie, then she would.

* * *

Sesshoumaru willed himself to suppress the mounting irritation he felt at the sight of his general and the miko. The expression of guilt on Katsuo's face was enough to inform Sesshoumaru that he was not comfortable with the task he had performed last night, nor the fact that he had been sighted sharing an intimate moment with the miko.

The hanyou had performed as instructed, Sesshoumaru reiterated to himself as he closed the distance between them. Therefore it was not necessary for him to feel any hostility towards his general. Such pointless hostility would only interfere in the running of the Western Lands, and that should be avoided.

Still, he could prevent neither the tensing of his muscles nor the sudden urge to tear into something with his claws. Especially when his nose found that that the miko's usual peach scene was now overlaid by Katsuo's heavier, spicier one. Something about it nudged at him, but he could not discern what it was.

It was time for Katsuo to leave the miko's side.

"Katsuo, see to the warriors," Sesshoumaru instructed in a clipped tone. His curt instruction had nothing to do with the fact that the miko still carried the hanyou's scent. He was simply impatient to depart so that the miko could release Inuyasha.

His eyes lowered, Katsuo replied dutifully, "Yes, My Lord."

With a respectful bow, he turned around and walked away, leaving him alone with the miko.

"We will depart now," he informed her levelly.

She gasped when his arm went around her. Sesshoumaru forced himself not to tighten his grip around her as he brought them up into the sky. Katsuo's scent still surrounded her, feeding into his mounting displeasure.

After this trip, he would be rid of the miko's presence and all this unfamiliar turmoil would be over.

After this trip, his life would once again be smooth.

* * *

It had taken almost one whole day for them to arrive at their destination.

They had landed in a clearing just a moment ago, but since then, Kagome had been unable to tear her eyes away from the red-robed figure pinned to a very large tree. The way he was held upright by one single flimsy arrow seemed to defy the laws of physics, but Kagome was certain that there were some spell involved in it.

Stepping closer, she continued to study the red figure pinned to the tree. "He's your brother?" she asked. Then her gaze went to the puppy-dog ears topping the silver head. Her fingers twitched at the urge to pull the ears. "Those ears…" she mumbled.

"Inuyasha is a half-demon," Sesshoumaru supplied as he stepped next to her.

Her lips parted in surprise. "Half? What do you mean? What's the other half?"

"Human."

Kagome's eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh." So he was like Katsuo, with a human mother and a demon father. Then she shuffled nervously. "So, what do I have to do?"

"Release him."

"But I don't know-"

"Use your powers," he interjected.

"Sesshoumaru…" she began uncertainly. "I'm not sure. What if I do it wrong?"

She watched as his eyes flickered with an unnamed emotion. Then, in a gentler tone, he said, "Miko. You must have faith in your own ability. Do so and you will be able to release the hanyou."

She blinked, surprised as his words. Things had been so rough between them lately that she had forgotten that Sesshoumaru could be nice when he wanted to. And somehow, his words gave her the confidence that she would be able to free his brother.

Face set with determination, she climbed up onto a raised tree root. Her attention was once again drawn to Inuyasha's ears. Not able to resist, she reached up to tweak one of those ears, gasping when she felt just how soft it was. It really felt like puppy ears, she thought, closing her eyes with a sigh.

A warning growl came from Sesshoumaru. "Miko…"

She threw him a frown over her shoulders. "Alright! What's your hurry?"

Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand on the arrow.

Instantly, the arrow pulsed in her hand, making her gasp. Then she found herself staring into a pair of bewildered golden eyes, so much like Sesshoumaru's. Deciding to get it over with before she lost her nerve, she pulled hard. A familiar glow flared for a moment, and the next thing she knew, the arrow disintegrated into dust in her hands.

Wind swirled around them as Inuyasha's body pulsed once. And then again. Released from the seal, Inuyasha fell from the tree, crouching on the ground for a moment before he sprung back up.

"K-Kikyo?" Then his eyes darkened as he took a menacing step forward. "What the hell?! You betrayed me! "

"I…uh…" she faltered, unsure how to react to the hostility in the dog-eared half-demon's face.

"Your eyes failing you, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru interjected calmly.

Inuyasha swung around. His eyes instantly widened. "W-what?" Then he shook his head. "What are you doing here?"

Kagome watched curiously as Sesshoumaru's face took on a disdainful expression. "You've been sealed to this tree for fifty years. If the one who had sealed you was still alive, she would certainly be much older."

Inuyasha's ears twitched. "Keh! You didn't answer me. What are you doing here anyway?"

"To release you so that you could be punished for shirking your duties." Sesshoumaru's tone was bland. Turning around, Sesshoumaru told her evenly, "Your presence is no longer required. You may leave if you wish to do so"

She swallowed. This was it then. He had gotten what he needed from her and now she was free to leave. Somehow, she felt strangely reluctant to leave. But she was being silly again, right? Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Well… I guess I'd better go."

"The well you seek is just beyond those trees," Sesshoumaru said, inclining his head in a direction to her right.

This was it. This was goodbye. Only Sesshoumaru had not said goodbye to her. She laughed uncomfortably. With a small wave, she turned around and walked away.

She would jump into the well and hopefully end up back at home. Then everything would be back to normal and this whole thing would be just like a dream. There was no reason why she should turn back to look at Sesshoumaru once again.

Right?

* * *

Sesshoumaru watched silently as she walked away from them, once again leaving behind the scent of peaches and something else he could not quite comprehend. Much to his annoyance, he felt strangely compelled to rush after her to demand that she remained. It was probably due to the lingering effects of the mating bond, he surmised.

Somehow, it sounded as if he was simply making an excuse for his odd feelings.

He quickly brushed away the unsettling thoughts and forced his attention back to Inuyasha.

"What was that all about?" Inuyasha muttered, crossing his arms over his chest as he, too, stared after the miko until her small form disappeared beyond the treeline.

Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened. "You should be more concerned about yourself, Inuyasha. Your antics dishonored our line."

"Keh!" Then Inuyasha frowned, looking bewildered. "Has it really been fifty years?" he asked quietly.

"Hn."

Inuyasha's expression twisted in anger. "That…that…" He gritted his teeth. "I trusted her and she tricked me! She wanted me dead."

"You allowed yourself to be weakened by your human feelings."

Inuyasha threw him a glare. "I didn't ask for this to happen, alright? And you think I want to be half demon and half human?" he snarled.

"Perhaps father should have thought better before he impregnated your human mother."

Then Sesshoumaru froze as the meaning of the miko's scent finally registered in his mind. The sheer magnitude of the shock which coursed through him made his blood run cold. Immediately, the manner in which they had broken their mating bond came to him, raising another issue.

Sesshoumaru streaked forward in the direction the miko had disappeared to just time to see her raise a leg onto the rim of the wooden well.

In a blink of an eye, he was by her side, his claws wrapped securely around the astonished miko's arm.

"You are not leaving," he bit out. The implication of the scent still whirred in his mind, clouding his thoughts. All he knew was that she would not be allowed to leave.

Her eyes widened as she gaped soundlessly at him for a moment. Then she sputtered, "What are you talking about, Sesshoumaru? We have an agreement!"

"The circumstances have…changed."

"What do you mean?" she asked in a wary tone.

Not releasing his grip on her arm, Sesshoumaru stared at her. Then, in a quiet voice, he informed her, "You are with pup."

t.b.c.

* * *

A/N: I bet this didn't come as a surprise to any of you, huh? (grins) Well, I hope you've enjoyed this. Please review if you can. Thanks! 


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: As always, thank you for reading and reviewing this story. Apologies for not writing individual review responses this time, but writing this one took longer than I'd expected (smiles sheepishly). This is the longest chapter to date and I hope you will like it.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 14**

"You are with pup."

Sesshoumaru's words rang ominously in her ears. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Inuyasha's red-robed figure bursting into the clearing, skidding to a stop beside them.

"W-what?" Kagome whispered shakily, staring at Sesshoumaru in disbelief as he led her away from the well. Barely noticing what she was doing, she simply went with him. _Pup_. Surely he did not mean she was pregnant?

Sesshoumaru turned an unreadable pair of eyes towards her. His tone was flat when he said, "You are breeding."

She blinked dumbly. _Breeding._ As in pregnant?

Inuyasha gaped. Then his eyes shot towards Sesshoumaru before returning to her. Stepping closer, he sniffed. "It's… It's…" he faltered, turning a pair of shocked eyes towards Sesshoumaru. "Yours?"

Kagome was jolted out of her stupor by a strangled sound coming from Inuyasha, which was soon followed by a sputter, escalating into a full-blown laughter.

Glaring at him, she snapped, "What's so funny?!" The half demon's hysterics grated at her.

Completely ignoring her, Inuyasha choked on his laughter as he pointed a shaky claw at Sesshoumaru. "You… After everything you said about half-demons…" He paused for breath, clutching his stomach before he continued, "And now you go and pup a _human_ wench! A _miko_ at it! Priceless, Sesshoumaru. Priceless!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Shut up! I'm not pregnant!" Kagome denied shrilly. No, this could not be true.

"Breeding," Sesshoumaru interjected in a detached tone.

Still laughing, Inuyasha taunted, "You're not that much different from father after all, are you?"

"Silence!" Sesshoumaru snarled.

Her heart sped up as panic overwhelmed her. This could not be happening. Sesshoumaru must be wrong. Abruptly, she pulled herself away from him, her eyes flashing with fury. "I'm not pregnant! I don't care what you say. This whole thing is just a weird dream. I'm going home and that's it!"

"You will not," Sesshoumaru pronounced stonily.

Her expression tightened with determination. If she had to leave by force, she would. Backing away from him, her outstretched arms glowing threateningly, she gritted out, "Watch me."

Sesshoumaru tensed visibly. "Do not be foolish, Miko."

"Foolish?! Listen, you arrogant dog! You agreed to let me go," she hissed, glaring at him.

Jaws ticking, Sesshoumaru declared, "You may have your freedom, but the pup is an inuyoukai and will remain under the protection of the Western Lands."

"What? I can't believe this! What? If… and _IF_ I'm actually pregnant, you expect me to leave my child here while I go?!" Kagome fumed.

She could not believe he could be so coldhearted. But then again, considering how he had tricked her and Katsuo, maybe she should not be so surprised. Planting her hands on her hips, she glared at him. "First, you didn't do your part in breaking that stupid bond. You're supposed to just have sex with the demoness, right?" Gesturing at the lower part of his body, she continued to rant, "I mean, how hard is it for you to get it to work? You didn't have a problem before!"

"Miko!" Sesshoumaru interjected tersely.

Not far away, Inuyasha let out a sputter of incredulity. "Sesshoumaru… You mean you can't get it up? Seriously…" Breaking off, the hanyou doubled over again, howling in laughter.

"You will silence yourself, Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru barked.

Inuyasha continued to convulse, but Kagome ignored the hysterical hanyou, keeping her whole attention on Sesshoumaru. His thunderous expression told her that he was less than pleased with her revelation of his inability to perform. She did not care. After all the pain and anxiety she had gone through in the last two days, he at least deserved to be embarrassed publicly. And anyway, it was not as if she told his servants. Inuyasha was his brother.

"You have given your word not to speak of this matter," Sesshoumaru bit out.

"Oh? And why should I keep my word when you can break yours whenever you like?" she shot back furiously. "Since you can't keep your word, I'm not planning to hang around any longer. Who knows what other lies you'll come up with? I have had enough of it!" she declared, backing towards the well.

"Miko," he warned, taking a step towards her. "You will remain in the Western Lands until the pup is born."

"Why should I stay, huh?" she challenged. She would stall him until she got closer to the well, she thought, inching back further.

Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered uncertainly for a moment before the mask slammed down again. "It is unsafe for you to leave in your condition."

Taking a few more steps backwards, Kagome snorted in disbelief.

Inuyasha finally sobered up. "Hey… Wait!" he called out, his brows furrowing.

Her palms sparked with her miko powers as she inched closer to the well. "Stay back. I mean it!"

Sesshoumaru's expression darkened, while Inuyasha gaped at her glowing hands. When Sesshoumaru took another step towards her, Kagome gritted her teeth and immediately released a bolt of energy at his feet. The taiyoukai simply sidestepped it, his eyes not leaving her.

"What the hell!" Inuyasha yelled, jumping out of range.

Letting out another blast, Kagome spun around and ran.

* * *

Her sudden flight drove Sesshoumaru into motion, sending him streaking after her. Dimly, he wondered why was she so insistent on jumping into the well. Before she could do so, he clamped his hands around her shoulders, lifting her away from the wooden rim. The miko released a squeal of outrage and then began to strike him with her glowing hands, further inciting his displeasure at the entire situation. How dare she disobey him? Not only that, she had the audacity to attack him with her miko powers. 

"You will remain," he hissed, glaring into her furious brown orbs.

Yes, she would remain until the pup was born, for at the moment, it was not possible to ascertain who sired the pup. They would only know once the pup was born since at the moment, all he could tell was that the pup carried the scent of an inuyoukai.

"NO!" she yelled, her voice laced with desperation as she thrashed violently in an attempt to escape his hold. "I'm not staying here anymore!"

Sesshoumaru tightened his grip, ignoring her wince of pain. "You will cease your struggles, Miko!"

Inuyasha was suddenly beside them, a frown adorning his brows. "Oi, Sesshoumaru! Let her go before you break her arm."

Sesshoumaru growled as he directed an irritated glance at the hanyou. Inuyasha's seeming concern for the miko's welfare grated at his nerves. He released her arm, but immediately held her around the waist securely. Knowing her, she would no doubt attempt to escape and he had no intention of allowing such an action.

"Let me go!" she shrieked into his ear.

Suppressing the urge to flinch at her pitch, he gritted out, "You will return to the Western Lands."

"NO!!!"

Struggling ferociously, she attempted to burn him with her pure power once again. Not intending to concede, Sesshoumaru simply ascended into the air with the furious miko secured in his arms.

Glancing down at a dumbfounded Inuyasha, he instructed levelly, "You will follow on ground."

Without waiting for a response, Sesshoumaru guided his cloud towards the west. It was only then that the miko ceased her foolish struggles for the fear of falling from his cloud. Her resentment was palpable. However, he chose to ignore it. Instead, he focused on returning home as fast as he could while traveling at a speed which the hanyou below could sustain. The notion of siring a pup unsettled him and he needed to meditate upon its implications in the relative peace of his abode.

"Please, let me go, Sesshoumaru!" the miko pled, squirming ineffectively in his hold. "Don't do this. I need to go home."

"Cease your movements."

"I'm not pregnant! And you can't tell so early anyway!"

The situation obviously required some clarification. "You carry the scent of an inuyoukai within your body," he told her evenly. In a few months, he would be able to tell which inuyoukai's scent it was. His or Katsuo's.

"How can you possibly tell?" she snapped, disbelief written all over her face.

Aware of her lack of knowledge in demonic matters, he explained, "Inuyoukai's sense of smell is stronger than most, therefore we are able to detect what most demons could not." He flicked a warning glance at her. "Should you decide to escape, this Sesshoumaru will be able to track you easily."

A sputter of outrage broke from her. He tensed as her anger brought her miko powers to the surface. Forcing himself not to flinch once again, Sesshoumaru simply ignored the burning sensation against his skin and sped up. The miko directed another glare at him before she pointedly turned away from him.

The silence which followed was far from comfortable.

He despised the fact that he had gone back on his words. The fact that he had done it twice in just as many days irked him to no end. However, he could not simply allow her to leave without knowing who had fathered the pup she was carrying. It did not matter. Whether it was Katsuo's or his, the pup would remain under the protection of the Western Lands.

When they finally arrived at the castle, the miko had already fallen asleep, obviously exhausted from her previous struggles. Without a word to his curious servants and guards, Sesshoumaru carried her to her sleeping chamber. When she was tucked in securely under the covers, he stepped out and raised a barrier around the chamber. He would not risk her escaping.

Inuyasha was there when he turned around, wearing a perplexed expression. "What's going on, Sesshoumaru?"

The taiyoukai's lips tightened.

Inuyasha was the cause of all this chaos. If he had not allowed himself to be sealed, then the miko would simply be another servant. Instead, the need to bring forth her powers had resulted in a series of events which brought them to this disturbing state of affairs. As it was, there were still a few issues which he needed to settle with Inuyasha.

"Come," Sesshoumaru instructed coldly as he walked to his study. What he wanted to say to Inuyasha would be said in the privacy of his study. When both of them were there, Sesshoumaru raised a barrier around the space before turning his attention to his half-brother.

"What is going on, Sesshoumaru? This miko…" Inuyasha paused, frowning. "What's her name anyway?"

"Kagome."

"Why the hell is she so desperate to leave?"

He did not know why the miko wanted to leave so badly, Sesshoumaru realized. Perhaps the unpleasant mess of events which had occurred in the past months had finally taken its toll on her.

Inuyasha frowned in thoughtful contemplation, then his eyes widened. "Wait! You FORCED her?"

Sesshoumaru's eye's narrowed at the hanyou's accusation. He would never lower himself to such a despicable act. Then he tensed as he recalled that he had forced her to rut with Katsuo. However, he did not wish to explain anything to Inuyasha. "We will not speak of this matter."

The hanyou blinked at him incredulously. Then he shook his head as if to clear it. Taking a deep breath, he asked with a worried frown, "Fine. First of all, this fifty years thing, it can't be real, right?"

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to sigh in relief at the departure from the subject of the miko. "This Sesshoumaru assures you that you have indeed disgraced the name of our line for the past fifty years." he said dryly. "Your actions dishonored our father's reputation. And you shall be punished accordingly for your transgression."

Eyes bulging, Inuyasha exploded indignantly, "WHAT?! What are you talking about? I didn't ASK to be sealed to a tree."

Sesshoumaru simply quirked a brow. "Little brother, you brought such fate upon yourself."

Inuyasha averted his gaze. "Kikyo…" he hissed, clenching his fists spasmodically. "I'll have my revenge!"

"It is not necessary."

"What do you mean?"

"The miko is dead."

Inuyasha paled. "D-Dead?"

"Hn."

"How?"

"Such minor detail does not interest this Sesshoumaru."

Inuyasha brought a clawed hand up to rub the back of his neck in a gesture of discomfort. When he spoke, his voice was gruff. "Look, I didn't mean to do any damage to father's reputation. I… I just…trusted her."

It was apparent that it was Inuyasha's human half which had brought this affliction upon him. "Perhaps you would learn from your mistake. However, you will still be punished."

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "Keh! You can't force me to do anything," he declared stubbornly.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps you wish to be banished from the Western Lands?"

Jumping around, Inuyasha stared at him disbelievingly. "WHAT?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not repeat himself."

Pointing a shaky claw at him, Inuyasha snarled, "You can't do this Sesshoumaru!"

"The Western Lands do not need someone who refuses to accept the consequences of his actions."

Eyes narrowing, Inuyasha hissed angrily as he took a step forward, "Why you…"

Sesshoumaru saw his half brother's claws reaching for him long before it came close enough to do any damage. With a smirk, Sesshoumaru streaked to the side. This was what he required, a good battle to release all his tension.

Inuyasha launched into the air, his claws outstretched as he swooped down. Releasing his youki whip, Sesshoumaru snapped the glowing strand at his half-brother, watching with satisfaction as Inuyasha's eyes widened in alarm before he took the hit.

"You are as weak as ever," Sesshoumaru taunted, knowing that it would irk the hanyou.

Pushing himself to his feet, Inuyasha spat, "Shut up!"

Then the hanyou charged again, slashing his claws back and forth. Sesshoumaru's lips thinned as he drove a fist into the hanyou's jaw. Inuyasha's skills were in dire need of improvement. With that, Sesshoumaru swung around, spinning his whip around him.

An outraged snarl escaped Inuyasha's lips as the whip connected with him, throwing him clear across the room. He crashed into the shelves, bringing the scrolls tumbling down onto him. With a blur of motion, Sesshoumaru was by Inuyasha's side, his striped wrist flexing as he held sharp claws to the hanyou's neck.

"Submit!"

Inuyasha growled at him.

"Cease this foolishness, Inuyasha. Your skills require improvement if you wish to battle with this Sesshoumaru."

Glaring at him, Inuyasha simply bared his fangs. In retaliation, Sesshoumaru allowed some of his poison to sizzle out of his claws.

Inuyasha's eyes rounded.

"FINE! I'll take the stupid punishment. Now let me go," the hanyou snapped irritably.

Smirking in satisfaction, Sesshoumaru released his hold on Inuyasha and took a step back. Still glaring at him, the hanyou shrugged his haori into place.

"So what exactly do you want me to do?" Inuyasha asked defiantly.

Sesshoumaru had not thought much about the matter. However, at this very moment, there was one task which he could place upon the hanyou. "You will guard the miko until the pup is born."

Inuyasha gaped. "What? You're sticking me with someone who looks like Kikyo for what? Five months?"

"Kagome is not your Kikyo," Sesshoumaru intoned in a tight voice. "You will keep that in mind."

Inuyasha frowned. "Hey, that pup is yours, right?"

Sesshoumaru chose to remain silent.

Unperturbed, Inuyasha continued, "What are you going to do with her after the pup is born?"

"That's none of your concern." In truth, he had yet to come to terms with this new development and required more time to ponder upon this unexpected event. Inuyasha's question raised many issues.

Inuyasha crossed his arms and sneered, "Keh! With all your talk about honor and shit, don't you think you should mate her?"

Sesshoumaru stilled.

All of a sudden, the sense of betrayal of the broken bond returned, rolling over him relentlessly. Absently, he realized that he had never been as unsettled in his long life as he had felt for the last few weeks. His lips tightened. No, never again would he subject himself to such a thing. It had weakened him, driving him to peculiar actions and brought him nothing but frustration and distress.

"No. This Sesshoumaru will not mate the miko."

Not again.

* * *

The familiar room greeted her eyes as Kagome woke from her slumber. She shifted on the futon until she ended up sitting at the edge, her gaze landing on the pouch containing her uniform and the kimono. 

Instantly, the recent events crashed over her, stoking the embers within her until she burned with rage once again. She could not believe what was happening to her. Though she should have expected it. After all, what they had sex without any form of protection. However, Sesshoumaru's high-handedness was completely unnecessary. Why did he have to manhandle her like that? And even though his masked expression, she could tell that he was not happy about the baby. Kagome snorted derisively. Of course he was not happy. He probably did not want it and only brought her back because he thought it was the right thing to do.

Kagome sighed heavily. She supposed that she had no choice but to stay. At least until she figured out a plan of some sort. Then she narrowed her eyes. In the meantime, Sesshoumaru should stay out of her sight if he valued his body parts. She had this barely suppressible urge to mutilate the taiyoukai.

"Did you rest well?" someone asked.

Turning around to find Natsumi staring at her, Kagome forced herself to smile. "I suppose." The demoness had been sitting here watching her while she slept?

Natsumi did not return her smile. Instead, her eyes clouded slightly as she lowered her eyes.

Kagome sighed. It was not as if she did not know what Natsumi was thinking. That night, it had been clear from the girl's reaction that something was going on between her and Katsuo. Katsuo obviously had not told her about their lack of sexual intercourse. But Kagome knew that it would be hard for Katsuo to explain to Natsumi without going into the full story. And that was the last thing Kagome wanted to do, and Katsuo knew it. They had to find a way to explain it to her.

"Natsumi…" she began as she stood up.

A forced smile appeared on the other girl's lips. "Is there something I could bring you? Otherwise, I will inform the lord that you are awake."

Kagome shook her head sadly. It would take time before Natsumi felt comfortable around her again, she thought, watching the girl bow and leave. Numbly, she changed her outfit and stepped out of the room. As she walked towards the courtyard, she mulled over Sesshoumaru's unexpected declaration. Somehow, she did not think that he would lie to her about something this important. So she must be pregnant.

Walking past the hotsprings and the rock outcrop surrounding the steaming water, she continued on towards the garden. So what should she do now?

She could always try to escape again, but what would she do once she got home, pregnant with Sesshoumaru's child? Single mothers were not unheard of, so she supposed she could just raise the child with her family's help. But that was hardly fair to the child, seeing that he or she would be fatherless. However, much as she liked the idea of escaping, she knew that it would not be possible, considering Sesshoumaru's threat to literally sniff her out. But if she was very, very careful?

The alternative would be to stay in the Feudal Era with Sesshoumaru and raise the child here. But that would mean that she never see her family again. Did Sesshoumaru really want the child anyway? He had insisted that she returned, but what if he was doing this only because of some misguided sense of responsibility?

"Oi! Where do you think you're going?"

Startled, Kagome jumped a little before looking up to find a red-clad figure crouching on a branch of a tree. "What are you doing up there?" she asked. Then when his words sank in, she frowned. "And since when do I have to answer to you?"

Inuyasha stepped off the branch to land in front of her. Crossing his arms over his chest, he said, "Keh! Since Sesshoumaru decided that you need to be guarded."

The muscle under her eyes twitched. The nerve of the demon, she fumed. She knew for sure that escaping was out of the question now. Still, Sesshoumaru's continual high-handedness irritated her to no end. "Well, you can tell him that I don't need a guard."

Inuyasha raised a brow. "You think I want to waste my time following some stinking human miko around?"

Kagome bristled. "I don't stink!" she shot back. Then her eyes widened when she noticed the bruises on his jaw for the first time. "What happened to you?"

"It's nothing." His tone was gruff.

"Let me have a look at it," she said, reaching out a hand.

"I said, it's nothing," he insisted impatiently.

Kagome let her hand drop. "Fine," she snapped. "I'm offering to heal it, but since you don't need it…" she trailed off.

"Keh!"

Rolling her eyes, Kagome began to walk away, only to find that Inuyasha was just three steps behind her. Rounding on him, she glared. "Stop it! Go away!"

"Get used to it. Because I'm not going anywhere until you give birth to the brat."

Kagome's jaw went slack. "You mean I have to put up with you for nine months?"

"Nine?" Inuyasha echoed, looking a little puzzled.

She ground her teeth together. "There is NO WAY you'll be shadowing me. AT ALL!" What was Sesshoumaru thinking? This was HIS child, and he could not even be bothered to look after her on his own? Not that she needed him to look after her, but it was the principle of the thing.

Inuyasha raised a brow. "And what are you going to do about it? And don't even think that I'm liking this."

"Then don't do it," she gritted out slowly.

Inuyasha leaned close to her, his expression twisted in a scowl. "I said… Get used to it!" he snapped.

"What is going on here?" a familiar voice demanded.

"Katsuo!" Kagome exclaimed, her tension suddenly leaving her at the sight of her friend. Katsuo was some distance away, staring at them with a wary expression. Running towards him, she threw her arms around Katsuo in a hug.

"You're back!" The grey-haired hanyou gave her a smile before pulling away. Then his expression turned sober and he blinked in astonishment. "Kagome… You're..." Katsuo faltered as he gestured to her stomach.

Kagome groaned. Inuyoukai's noses. She supposed that her scent only showed after a few days, seeing that no one had noticed before. And now, everyone would know. "Pregnant," she supplied, giving him a baleful look.

Katsuo's eyes brightened for a moment, only to be overshadowed by a frown on his forehead a moment later. "But the mating bond…" he began, squeezing her arms gently.

Shaking her head, Kagome opened her mouth to reply only to shriek in alarm when she found herself pulled abruptly away from Katsuo.

"Oi! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha snapped, giving her an incredulous look.

Katsuo frowned disapprovingly. "You were shouting at her. Don't do it again."

"Keh! So what! You just mind your own business."

The general's blue eyes narrowed. "I only obey Lord Sesshoumaru's command. Not yours," he scorned.

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "Just stay the hell away from her."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome protested indignantly as she rounded on him. "I don't care what Sesshoumaru says. Katsuo is my friend and you're not stopping me from talking to him."

Scowling, Inuyasha retorted, "If it was up to me, you can do whatever the hell you want to."

"Fine. That's exactly what I'm going to do," Kagome shot back.

Inuyasha blinked. But before he could open his mouth to respond, Kagome linked her arm through Katsuo's pulling him away. At least Katsuo was still around to be her friend, she thought irritably.

When she glanced over her shoulders, she found Inuyasha following them with a sour look on his face.

* * *

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered as she opened her eyes to the present world. 

Then she sat up in her bed as his image superimposed on a modern version of him. It was the same person she had met in IY Media and Entertainment. His strange reaction made sense now. He must have recognized her from his dreams. She clapped a hand on her forehead, wondering just who else from the past was around in this era.

The sound of footsteps filtered through the open window.

It must be her mother, Kagome surmised as she sat up. She glanced outside, noting that it morning had dawned. It was time for the dreaded confrontation, she decided firmly. Considering how her mother had reacted last time, Kagome knew that she would not like this particular topic of discussion, but she could not continue without knowing the truth.

Standing up quietly, she left her room and padded downstairs. The living room was empty. Her grandfather was probably already in the shrine, and the only sound she could hear was from the kitchen. Steeling herself, Kagome walked purposefully to the back of the house, stopping only when her eyes landed on her mother. Souta was nowhere to be seen, and she surmised that he must have stayed overnight with the neighbors' son.

"Mom."

"You're up early, Kagome," her mother said, turning over her shoulders with a smile. "Would you like something to eat or drink before you go?" she asked, obviously thinking that her daughter had an early shift.

Kagome shook her head, wondering how she should broach the subject.

Her mother stilled her movements, as if sensing her dilemma. Turning around fully, she asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Mom…" she began haltingly. "This might sound really stupid, but…" She took a deep breath before she let out the words in a rush, "The two year coma. Did it actually happen?"

Right before her, her mother paled. Alarmed, Kagome immediately ran forward and pulled her mother down to a chair. Wordlessly, her mother stared at her with troubled eyes as she sat down. But her mother's reaction told her that there was definitely more to the story than she had let on.

"Mom. This is really important. You've got to tell me what really happened in those two years," she urged.

Her mother slumped visibly, and then she shook her head slowly. To Kagome's horror, tears began to shimmer in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kagome," she choked out, putting a hand against her forehead.

Kagome immediately placed her arms around her mother's shoulders. It distressed her that her question had made her mother cry, but she needed to know the truth. "Don't cry, Mom," she whispered, tightening her arms.

"I don't know what to tell you."

Kagome bit back the urge to rush her mother. Whatever this was, it was obviously something upsetting. "How about starting at the beginning?" she prompted haltingly.

Her mother's eyes took on a faraway look, and then she sighed heavily. "W-We just didn't know what to do. Souta saw you falling into the well and when your grandfather and I got there, we couldn't find anything. It was like you were never there at all. Your grandfather told us about the mystical powers of the well and for once, we believed him. We kept looking into the well and around it. For two years, we searched for you, while we told everyone that we sent you overseas to be treated for your illness and that you were in a coma." Her mother paused, wiping her eyes on her sleeves.

"So I wasn't in a coma," Kagome said numbly. They lied to her. Her family lied to her. Why?

Her mother shook her head. "No. But when we found you by the well, you were unconscious. You've been missing for so long that I didn't want to send you to a hospital, didn't want to let you out of my sight. So I got the doctor to make a house call, you know, Jii-chan's old friend? You woke up a few hours after we found you, but you didn't remember anything."

Kagome frowned. Things had been rather fuzzy those few days, she admitted. "Why didn't you tell me what happened then?"

"We don't know what to tell you. We don't know what happened. The doctor advised us to let you remember things by yourself. He said that the mind often blocks out traumatic experiences until one could cope with it."

"I see," she whispered weakly.

"You're remembering things?" her mother asked worriedly.

Kagome stared down at her entwined hands. "Remember the dreams I've been having? I think they are memories from that two years. I think Sachimaru is really my son."

Her mother gasped, and then her expression turned wary. "Kagome, Sachimaru is six. If you had him in those two years, he would only be four."

Smiling sadly, Kagome shook her head. "We don't know how old he is, remember? We just thought he looked about three years old when we found him."

"Kagome, He's too big to be four," her mother insisted, a worried frown creasing her brows. "And who is his father?"

Kagome looked down at her hands. It was obvious that her mother thought she was crazy. And Kagome had no doubt that once her mother heard about the rest of it, she would be doubly sure that there was something seriously wrong with her daughter.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome whispered, "Sachimaru is not fully human."

Silence descended upon them.

"What do you mean, Kagome?" her mother asked quietly.

Kagome forced herself to continue, despite her mother's increasingly anxious looks. "His father is a demon."

"A demon," her mother echoed numbly. "Demons are just…stories, Kagome."

Smiling weakly, Kagome shook her head. "I'm afraid not. There are demons in my dreams and the dreams are real. Not to mention that I've actually met Sachimaru's father just a few weeks ago. He's having dreams too. The same ones."

"Kagome…" her mother faltered, obviously uncertain how she should continued. Then she asked, "Why are you so sure that they are not just dreams?"

"Mom, I had a physical examination done at the local hospital yesterday. Because I just wanted to check if I'm still… uh… the same as I was before. Something… happened in the dream and I wanted to see if it was true." Her lips twisted in self-mockery. "Guess what? It seemed that I've given birth at some point in the past. Or at least, something quite large had come out of me."

Her mother's face crumpled. "Oh, Kagome… But at that time you were only…"

"Sixteen," Kagome supplied. Thinking back to the dreams, she added, "Actually, it probably happened even before I was sixteen. And that's why I think that the dreams are actually memories and not just dreams, and that Sachimaru's father is definitely not human."

"But…"

Shaking her head vehemently, Kagome insisted, "Don't you see how strong Sachimaru is? And how fast he heals? It's not something normal humans can do."

A thoughtful look came across her mother's face. Then a heavy sigh left her. "What are you going to do now?" she asked.

Kagome shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, there's really nothing much to do. The dreams keep coming, so I guess at some point, I'll find out what actually happened in those two years."

"Talk to Sachimaru's father. He might know something," her mother suggested.

"No." Her voice was hard and uncompromising.

Her mother looked confused. "But, Kagome… Why not? I would like to meet the father of my grandson."

Kagome looked down at her clasped hands. "That's not a good idea, Mom. I don't want him to know about Sachimaru. I don't want him to take Sachimaru away from me," she admitted in a small voice.

Her mother gave her a stern look. "He IS Sachimaru's father, and he has the right to know. Also, if the dreams are progressing like you said, then sooner or later, he will find out. Don't you think that he would be less angry if you told him before he found out for himself?"

Her mother was right, Kagome thought with a sinking feeling. She should talk to Sesshoumaru, she admitted. Avoiding him was not going to help her get to the bottom of this. But she would rather take longer to find out what was happening rather than risk losing Sachimaru.

Sachimaru.

Only now that it all clicked into place. At that very moment, her overriding thought was that Sachimaru was really her son. Her biological son. A feeling of exhilaration coursed through her as she stood up. Suddenly, she needed to see Sachimaru.

"Thank you for telling me, Mom," she exclaimed, giving her mother a tight hug.

Her mother's smile was sad. "I'm sorry I kept it from you so long."

Kagome pulled back to look into her mother's eyes. Seeing the contrition in them, she assured her mother, "It's okay. Don't think about it anymore."

With that, Kagome climbed the stairs to her son's room. She stood at the doorway, staring at Sachimaru as she had done just last night. He looked so innocent, sleeping curled on his side with a small pout on his lips, while the moonlight glinted off his silver locks. Stepping next to the bed, she bent down.

"You're really mine," she whispered into his forehead.

"Okaa-san," Sachimaru muttered as he blinked blearily up at her. "What's wrong?"

Her smile was tremulous. "Nothing. Everything is fine."

* * *

Sesshoumaru tapped a clawless finger against the steering wheel as he ran over the events of the past in his mind for the umpteenth time in an attempt to arrive at a suitable method to encourage the present miko to speak. 

The dissolution of the mating bond had been handled badly, Sesshoumaru thought with a grimace. On hindsight, he should have considered possible alternatives once he found that he physically could not copulate with the demonesses. He did not understand why it had not occurred to his past self that the betrayal did not necessarily mean one which involved sexual contact.

It would have saved his past self a significant amount of distress. Even now, it pained him to remember his self-inflicted torture, watching the miko interacting with Katsuo and a reluctant Inuyasha. His past self had refused to approach the miko. Furthermore, his past self had been unable to dismiss the feeling of remorse and betrayal that continued to plague him, even as he wondered who had sired the pup.

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. From what he could recall of his servant's reactions, everyone assumed that the pup was his. Now, five hundred years into the future, Sesshoumaru was certain that the pup was his, and not Katsuo's. But his past self had foolishly chosen not to see it.

Yes, he would admit that he had been foolish in the past, as long as this very scandalous thought remained in the privacy of his own mind.

Sesshoumaru exhaled loudly. The pup called Sachimaru may well be the same one as the one in the miko's womb. He was only uncertain why the pup had remained so young for five centuries. And why was the pup not with him all this time? He did not wish to consider the alternative; that the pup born five hundred years ago did not survive, and this Sachimaru was someone else's pup.

He bit back a growl. Perhaps it was the result of another error by his past self. It was agonizing to watch his past self make one mistake after another but he was unable to change the past, much as he wished to do so.

However, he was determined not to make similar mistakes this time.

He certainly would not make assumptions without proper verification, he decided grimly. This meant that he would need to insist that the present miko revealed what she knew of the past. Such a thing would not be simple, considering what her past self had gone through with him. He should expect this present miko to be distrustful of his motives.

It was imperative that he gained her trust this time.

With that thought, Sesshoumaru exited his car and locked the door. Looming before him was his destination, Tsukuyo Medical. His steps echoed in determination as he strode past the reception into the area designated for paramedics. If she was not there, he would simply wait until she turned up.

The miko would not escape him this time.

A moment later, his ears detected the sound of her laughter. Cautiously, he slowed his steps until he laid eyes on her.

She was standing at the doorway of the staff room, talking to another paramedic with her side facing him. By their own volition, his eyes dropped to her flat belly. Swiftly, he forced his eyes back up. No, he told himself firmly. It would not do to mistake one miko for another, even if one was a reincarnation of the other.

In the distance, he could see the rapid flicker of her lashes just a moment before she tensed. Abruptly, without glancing in his direction, she spun around and began to walk away rapidly.

Sesshoumaru was certain that she had seen him, as her hasty departure from the staff room could mean nothing else. Unconcerned, he simply strode after her, noting with some amusement that she was attempting to walk as quickly as possible without drawing attention. Lengthening his stride, Sesshoumaru persisted until he caught up with her just as she was about to pass a door.

Sensing no sign of life on the other side of the door, Sesshoumaru decided that it would suffice for their discussion.

She released a squeak of surprise as he pulled the door open and maneuvered her into the space. It was only when the door had shut behind him with a final click that he realized just how small the room was. It appeared to be a linen closet and was certainly not designed to accommodate two persons.

Their eyes clashed, and he could see the shock in hers. He bit back a groan when he realized that he could feel every curve of her body against his own. It brought back certain discomfiting memories. In addition to that, it was rather unsettling just how familiar she felt against him. The only thing which was different was the lack of the miko's unique peach scent.

Still, this situation could prove to be beneficial to his cause. After all, she could hardly flee while he was standing between her and the door.

* * *

Kagome's breath caught in her throat at the sensation of a hard body pressed unnervingly close to her. What was he doing here? And why the hell did he push her into a closet? Oh, Kami, she needed to get away. And fast. 

The way his body molded around hers brought forth the dream of their mating. She instantly flushed uncomfortably as the images of their tangled limbs came to mind. Now that she knew that those dreams were not really of her past self, she felt rather awkward facing him like this.

Normal. She had to strive for normality.

"Sess…" Kagome began, and then quickly corrected, "Mr. Taishou." Hopefully, the formality would keep a distance between them. Right now, she desperately needed that distance. Even though that proved to be a little difficult considering that she was pressed flush against him.

But Sesshoumaru obviously did not feel the same way, seeing the way his eyes remained fixed to hers. It was as if he was trying to look through her. Her lips parted slightly as she met his molten gaze. Or was it something else?

"Miko."

Flashes of the dream she had a few night back bombarded her mind again, making her groan in frustration. They had done it not once, but twice in that one night. And why was she thinking of this particular dream right now? Her mind could not have picked a worse time. Was she going to dream of their mating every time they met, she wondered, mortified.

Then there was the issue with the bond breaking and him informing her that she was pregnant. Although it had arrived as a surprise in the past, her future self had expected it after the recent revelations. She still had no idea how she and Sachimaru had ended up in the future, and that none of them remembered anything until recently, but she had faith that the truth would surface as the dreams progressed. And she had a feeling that whatever it was, it was not going to be pleasant.

Please, don't let him be here to talk about the dreams. She did not think she could handle it. Feeling acutely uncomfortable, she tried to shift further back, only to encounter hard shelves behind her. Think, Kagome, think! The demon was under the impression that he had mated and then un-mated with her _past self_ and she had to let him believe it.

Calm. Stay calm. "Uh… Can I help you with something?" she forced out.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked instead.

"Heh…heh… Of course not! Nothing at all!" she squeaked, and then closed her eyes in mortification. Great, Kagome. You sounded really calm there. She took a deep breath. "Just a little tired."

"Sleepless nights, Miko? Disturbing dreams, perhaps?" he asked smoothly as something flashed across his eyes.

This must be his way of asking her about THAT dream. She felt him pressing closer, whether it was deliberate or not, she could not tell. He was so close that she hardly dared to breathe, for each breath would push her even closer to him. Why the hell couldn't he move back just a little?

Then her eyes bulged as a sudden thought occurred to her. Surely he could not be thinking…

"Sesshoumaru…" she began, all thoughts of being formal leaving her mind. "You mated with my past self and everything that had happened, happened with HER. I'm just a reincarnation, remember? None of this has anything to do with me. So, don't think that I'm going to allow you to… umm…" Not knowing quite how to voice her thoughts, she simply glanced pointedly at the place where his body was pressed against hers.

He regarded her contemplatively before he replied, "I did not imply such a thing."

She laughed weakly. "Right…"

"I did not come to speak about the mating. Nor the manner in which the bond was dissolved."

Kagome willed herself not to panic. There was only one more thing that he could possibly want to discuss. She suddenly felt cold. If she could help it, Sesshoumaru would never find out about Sachimaru. Actually, she would go out of her way to stop him from finding out about the boy.

Sesshoumaru said, "You are pregnant."

Her eyes bulged. "I'm most certainly not," she denied indignantly.

His brow furrowed. "Your dream self," he corrected testily.

She averted her gaze. There was no use denying it, but so long as she could convince him that it all happened in the past, then he would have no reason to suspect that Sachimaru was around, right? "Well, it _was_ unprotected sex. I guess condoms were not that common five centuries ago, huh?"

She closed her eyes in embarrassment when she realized what had just come out of her mouth. No, she could not possibly be discussing condoms with Sesshoumaru. Compelled by some morbid curiosity, she glanced up to gauge his reaction.

To her astonishment, his lips twitched in amusement. Her jaw dropped as she blinked in disbelief. He has a sense of humor after all. Who would have guessed?

"Do you have a son?"

Kagome felt her heart stop. No, please, she pled wordlessly. It could not come out like this.

The sound of a cellphone ringing saved her from answering.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was sorely tempted to ignore the ringing of his cellphone. He would not leave the miko until he ascertained if the pup, Sachimaru, was somehow the same as the one the miko in the past was carrying. 

However, considering the current state of affairs in the demon community, it would be wise to answer the call.

"Yes?" he bit out.

"We've got a problem, Sesshoumaru."

Eyes not leaving the miko, Sesshoumaru asked his half-brother, "What is the matter?"

"Some idiot demons are fighting in the streets and the whole mess is being caught on camera. They're not ours."

"The streets," Sesshoumaru echoed disbelievingly. Which demon was foolish enough to do such a thing? Exposing their powers to the public was tantamount to suicide. Was this another one of Naraku's schemes?

His voice uncharacteristically grave, Inuyasha continued, "That's not the worst thing. The whole thing is being broadcasted live on the news as we speak."

Sesshoumaru inhaled sharply. "Where are they?"

Just then, a beeping sound echoed through the room. As he listened to Inuyasha describe the incident, he watched Kagome retrieve her pager.

They needed to do some damage control. "Scramble the news feed. Make sure everyone remains where they are. They are not to draw attention to this incident."

"A little late, don't you think?" Inuyasha retorted dryly. "Anyway, Isamu left just a second ago with a few others to try to keep a handle on the situation. Like getting rid of the reporters."

"Hn." Isamu had always understood the necessity of being discreet. However, Inuyasha would need to play his part as well. "Bring yourself to Tsukuyo Medical. The demons will be there later."

Inuyasha sputtered and then protested vehemently, "What? NO! I'm not going to-"

Ending the call abruptly, Sesshoumaru turned around to find that the miko had her hand on the door handle. Clamping a hand around her arm, he bit out, "We are not finished."

She wrenched her arm away from him. "You have to quit doing that. Finished or not, I'm going. I have a job to do." Squeezing past him, she yanked open the closet door and stepped out.

Exiting right behind her, and ignoring all the curious looks directed their way, Sesshoumaru asked, "Where are you going?"

"Three blocks down towards the east," she replied absently as she dashed down the hallway.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. That was where Inuyasha had said the fight was taking place. He was unable to tell how she would react to the scene in the streets as what she would see soon would certainly be demonic injuries.

"Do you know what to expect?" he asked carefully.

She frowned absently. "Of course. You think I can't do my job?"

Deciding to test her, he remarked evenly, "The injuries will be different from what you're familiar with."

She paused and then gave him a stunned look as comprehension dawned. "You mean they are demonic? I've seen those, remember?"

"Hn." She was certainly more perceptive than her comparatively naïve past self. However, it should be expected, considering that she was older than the miko she was reincarnated from.

She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she did so. Then she opened them to reveal a pair of determined brown orbs. "I'll manage somehow."

"Hn."

With that, he inclined his head at her and proceeded to head for the roof of Tsukuyo Medical. He had no intention of joining the human traffic. The urgency of the situation demanded a faster form of travel. When he reached the roof, he instantly transformed into his energy orb and streaked towards his destination.

Barely any time had passed before he arrived, recomposing himself discreetly behind a building before he strode out into the street.

He noted that a small team from Taishou Securities was already there. Although random street fights were not their responsibility, his uniformed security team made an imposing sight as they disbanded the protesting reporters. Unfortunately, the two fighting demons simply ignored them. The crowd was gasping, their eyes wide in astonishment as they continued to watch the battle.

Sesshoumaru felt his blood run cold as his eyes landed on the fight. This was worse than he had thought. Too many humans were observing this and any attempts to cover up the incident would prove to be near impossible.

The two unfamiliar demons lashed out at each other, unconcerned with their audience. The only sign of their demonic heritage were their speed and strength. There were no visible flashes of youki in their attacks, at least none which could be discerned by the human eye. One of then snarled before turning around to pull a lamppost out of the pavement. The crowd gasped and immediately scattered as the demon swung the lamppost around.

Sesshoumaru watched stonily as Isamu and his team ushered the spectators away from the scene. In the distance, he could hear the sound of police sirens. This incident needed to be contained before the police arrived, Sesshoumaru thought as he returned his attention to the fighting demons. Although they were already bleeding from their wounds, they still continued to fight at full demonic speed, fueled by something unnatural. Finally, a particularly heavy blast from both of them resulted in the two demons being thrown apart.

Before they could get to their feet, Sesshoumaru directed a cautioning wave of his youki towards the two fighting demons.

Still sprawled on the ground, they instantly froze. Slowly, they turned to face him.

Sesshoumaru shot a look of warning at them. Then his eyes narrowed as he detected a familiar flash of blue. Akiyama's presence might complicate matters. After all, with everything that had happened recently, he was not certain if he understood where the elemental stood.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the hurried approach of the miko, squeezing past the onlookers with a determined expression set on her face.

Intent on intercepting Akiyama, Sesshoumaru threaded between the crowd, suppressing the urge to simply toss them out of his path. The last thing he required was more chaos. He reached the blue-haired elemental before Akiyama could reach the two wounded demons. The silence was thick as they regarded each other silently. Akiyama should have left Tokyo by now. After all, he had no reason to remain.

"Sesshoumaru," Akiyama greeted with a curt nod.

Inclining his head at the two demons, Sesshoumaru asked, "You know them?"

Akiyama's lips tightened. "They're mine," he replied flatly.

Sesshoumaru frowned. This could prove to be a difficult situation. "Why are you still in Tokyo?"

"I have some personal affairs to settle."

A gasp from the miko as she swept past them drew Sesshoumaru's attention away from the elemental. Kneeling to one side of one of the demons, she was attempting to persuade the demon to let her tend to his wounds. His opponent was being tended by a familiar forest youkai, Moriko. The one who had told Akiyama about the poison antidote.

Akiyama stiffened beside him, but the miko's voice drew his attention.

"Let me have a look at it, alright?" the miko chided as the snarling demon tried to escape her hands.

An unfamiliar surge of protectiveness rose within Sesshoumaru at the threat issued by the demon to the frowning paramedic. Like the miko of his past, she did not seem to be afraid of the demon, thus further reinforcing the fact that she was indeed the reincarnation of the fearless miko.

"Keep still!" she admonished as she ran her eyes over the gash in the demon's arm.

Sesshoumaru stepped closer to her, subtly directing a threatening glare at the reluctant demon. The demon instantly stilled. To Sesshoumaru's annoyance, the elemental's attention was fixed on the paramedics instead of the injured demon. The small furrow between Akiyama's brows incensed him further as the water elemental studied Kagome intently.

"Do not interfere," Sesshoumaru warned under his breath.

Flicking him a sideways glance, Akiyama replied just as softly, "It is you who should not interfere. These two are my responsibility."

"It appears that your command over them is lacking."

Akiyama's eyes narrowed. "I will handle it as I see fit, Sesshoumaru. Your concern is not needed."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. "Your confidence is reassuring." His tone was flat.

"Lord Akiyama," the demon under the miko's care rasped.

Sesshoumaru frowned at the stiffening of the miko's shoulders before she turned around slowly. Then her eyes widened as the brown orbs landed on the water elemental beside him.

"It's you…" she whispered.

Akiyama simply continued to stare at her, his eyes flickering in disbelief. Sesshoumaru had an inkling of why the elemental would react this way at the sight of the miko. After all, he had done the same not too long ago, he thought with a grimace. It was clear that they were all experiencing the same so-called dreams.

Then a groan from one of the demons drew the miko's attention away from the elemental.

Using a tone so low that only Akiyama could hear, Sesshoumaru said, "Allow them to leave with her. They are heading to Tsukuyo Medical."

Akiyama's eyes cleared as comprehension dawned. With a curt nod, he ordered the demons just as quietly, "Obey her."

The demons wore an expression of misgiving. However, they inclined their head to convey their assent, not protesting when the miko and her fellow paramedic urged them onto a stretcher. A male demon paramedic, the one called Manten, aided them. Caught up in her task, the miko did not even spare them a glance as she went with the demons into the waiting ambulance.

Akiyama nodded at Moriko, but no words were exchanged. Sesshoumaru knew that they were family friends, and at one point, had been wary of allowing the forest youkai to join his group. However, Shiori had insisted upon it, declaring that Moriko would be a valuable addition to Tsukuyo Medical with her skills in medicinal herbs.

As the forest youkai passed, Sesshoumaru said under his breath, "See to it that they are monitored."

Moriko inclined her head slightly before continuing towards the ambulance.

Once the ambulance had departed, Sesshoumaru turned to Akiyama. "Do you realize the magnitude of this situation?" His voice was hard.

Akiyama's lips tightened. "They have no reasons to fight each other. I believe they are under some outside influence."

"And what might that be?"

"Sesshoumaru. Surely you did not think that I would have allowed this to happen if I'd known about it," the elemental returned icily.

"Where have they been?"

Akiyama nodded at a nearby bar. "They were waiting for me in there."

Without a word, Sesshoumaru went to the bar, which by now was almost empty due to the commotion. Tilting his head slightly, he sniffed. An odd scent assaulted his senses, one which was familiar and yet different. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a frown crossing Akiyama's expression.

"I'm sure you sensed the same thing," the elemental remarked, his voice hard.

"Hn." The scent contained a hint of Naraku but something else. However, it was enough to implicate the despicable hanyou. The demon who had been there was obviously related to Naraku. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. The hanyou has a death wish.

Akiyama exhaled his breath with an angry hiss as his expression turned dark. Sesshoumaru was once again reminded of how this demon had managed to overthrow the previous Northern Lord when the elemental's blue youki swirled around him heavily. Much as he despised the thought of admitting it, Sesshoumaru knew that Akiyama was a formidable foe when crossed.

"Stay out of this, Sesshoumaru. I'll deal with Naraku."

Sesshoumaru gave him a stony look. "Perhaps you require a reminder that this incident occurred in my territory." Not to mention he had an unsettled business with the hanyou, he added inwardly.

"It is not your problem. Naraku made a mistake when he targeted my underlings."

"Hn."

Akiyama clenched his fists. "I think we'll be hearing from the others soon."

Sesshoumaru knew that Akiyama was referring to. Japan was not the only country which housed demons. China, for one, had their share of demons and spiritual beings. And with the current globalization, there was no doubt that the news of this incident would reach the rest of the foreign lords.

The hanyou would be stopped. However, the problem remained severe even if they disposed of the hanyou. By now, with all the media exposure, the humans would no doubt have their suspicions. That was not acceptable. They had to somehow carry out a major damage control procedure. It had been done before on a smaller scale. This, on the other hand, would require more.

Sesshoumaru glowered at the thought of cooperating with Akiyama again. Seeing that the water elemental was the only one who had the resources to do such a thing, the taiyoukai knew that he had no choice.

"You are familiar with the woman, Sesshoumaru? The paramedic?" Akiyama asked suddenly, his expression guarded.

Retaining a look of mild disinterest despite his surprise, Sesshoumaru said, "Simply a paramedic, I presume."

Akiyama's eyes narrowed. "You are not fooling me, Sesshoumaru. I suppose you remember Kagome from before?"

Deciding that it would be pointless to deny it, Sesshoumaru simply nodded once.

The elemental stiffened. "Then it is true. The dreams."

"Hn."

Not wanting to have anything more to do with Akiyama, Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to question the elemental about his dreams. He would solve this puzzle on his own. However, he was unprepared for the elemental's next words.

"Then you will be pleased to know that I intend to resume my courtship of the miko."

* * *

t.b.c. 

…

A/N: (Elle ducks and run!) Yes, the dreams are coming at different speed for each of them, and no doubt Sesshoumaru would wonder how did this particular courtship had even begun. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed the chapter. As always, please review if you could. Thanks!!


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for your great responses for the previous chapter! I truly appreciate it. By my estimation, we are about two thirds done, which means that there is about 7 more chapters to go before this story ends. Considering the length of the recent chapters, I don't think I can make the 5 days update – so I'm aiming to update one chapter a week. That said, here's the latest instalment and I hope that you will enjoy it.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 15**

"Then you will be pleased to know that I intend to resume my courtship of the miko."

The taiyoukai could only stare at Akiyama. A swift moment of astonishment swept over him before white-hot blinding rage clouded his vision, and Sesshoumaru had to forcibly compose his expression into one of mild disinterest.

He was stunned by the intensity of his own reaction. The elemental's proclamation should not concern him. After all, this miko was a reincarnation, however much Akiyama seemed to think otherwise. But why would the other demon come to such a conclusion, when it was impossible for a human to live five centuries?

Unless, of course, said human was mated to a demon.

Sesshoumaru went cold at the notion. The miko might have mated a demon in the past and thus gained the same lifespan as her mate. Considering his lack of mating mark, this demon was certainly not him. And as far as he knew, the present miko did not possess a mark. However, this meant little as not all demons bestow a visible mating mark on their mate.

Perhaps this demon was Akiyama.

Sesshoumaru certainly did not remember such an event occurring in the past, but it is possible that Akiyama was recalling something further in the future. Even so, Sesshoumaru could not envisage his younger self allowing the elemental to court the miko. Much as it displeased him to admit it, Akiyama was strong enough such that a powerful miko's alliance would tilt the balance between the Western and the Northern Land. It would be unwise to allow such a thing.

"Sesshoumaru?" Akiyama prompted, his gaze informing Sesshoumaru that his reaction was being gauged.

"I know not of what you speak of," Sesshoumaru bit out, disliking how stiff he sounded.

Akiyama quirked a brow. "You do not recall this incident?"

Before he could consider his words, Sesshoumaru replied, "The miko you speak of no longer exist. This one is simply a reincarnation."

The pair of blue eyes widened briefly before Akiyama's expression turned contemplative. Then he remarked guardedly, "Is that so?"

Instantly, Sesshoumaru felt a stab of suspicion. What else did Akiyama know that he did not? Could his earlier thoughts be true after all? Could this miko be the same one as the one he had mated and had managed to survive the centuries through a mating bond?

The notion that the Northern Lord possessed greater knowledge irked him, but Sesshoumaru took on a bland expression as he said, "This subject does not interest me."

Akiyama smirked. "It certainly shouldn't be of interest to you. If this miko is simply a reincarnation as you stated, this matter does not concern you in the first place." The elemental tilted his head slightly. "And much as I would like to continue this conversation, I have matters to see to."

With that, the elemental spun around and began to walk away.

As his gaze followed Akiyama's retreating back, Sesshoumaru had this urgent sense that the other demon was taunting him with something important. It was clear that elemental wished for him to demand for clarification. But asking the elemental for such a thing would be tantamount to admitting his ignorance. Whilst it was true that this was indeed the case, Sesshoumaru had no intention of displaying any weakness towards this demon.

Was his pride, resulting in this inflexibility more important than his quest for the truth?

Was this inflexibility the reason behind his foolish actions in the past? It displeased Sesshoumaru to admit it, but he could not dismiss the possibility. Would he be risking similar mistakes if he did not relent this time?

Coming to a decision, Sesshoumaru stiffened his spine. "Wait," he bit out quietly, knowing that the other demon would hear him even in the distance.

As expected, Akiyama's steps slowed and then he turned to look over his shoulders. Wordlessly, Akiyama lifted an inquiring brow, an action which made Sesshoumaru wish that he had not called out in the first place. Unhurriedly, he made his way to the waiting elemental.

When they stood facing each other once again, he gave Akiyama a stony look. "You will tell me what you know of this miko."

The knowing gleam in Akiyama's eyes irked him further and Sesshoumaru had to refrain from lunging forward. A public brawl with Akiyama would not be appropriate, considering the current state of affairs. However, nothing more would please him than the opportunity to sink his claws into the water elemental.

"So you really don't know," Akiyama mused thoughtfully.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "Do not waste my time, Akiyama."

The corner of the other demon's lips lifted before he spoke. "The paramedic is the same miko as the one five hundred years ago."

Sesshoumaru immediately tensed. Akiyama was simply confirming his suspicion, but he found it difficult to accept. "Impossible," he hissed.

"It might seem that way, but it's true," the elemental insisted calmly. "The school uniform gave it away."

"Perhaps you'd wish to elaborate." His tone was flat.

Akiyama's expression turned pensive. "When Kouga and I… procured her, she was wearing a school uniform. It was not until recently when the dreams began that I realized that the uniform she had worn five hundred years ago was identical to the one in this era."

"Are you implying that she traveled through time?" Sesshoumaru asked, having a difficult task in keeping his incredulity from showing. This was far from what he had expected. Then he felt a wash of relief that his initial suspicions were incorrect after all. With a start, he realized that he must be more attached to the miko than he had previously considered if he felt this way even now.

"Yes."

However strange the notion of time travel was, it explained many things. Such as the miko's preoccupation with the well near the Goshinboku in the past. Her desperation to jump into the well only reinforced Akiyama's words. Perhaps the well was a portal between the two eras.

As another thought occurred to him, Sesshoumaru clenched his fist.

Since Higurashi Kagome was the same person as the miko of the past, then the pup, Sachimaru, must have traveled across time with her. His fury rose at the thought that he had been unaware of his own pup for five centuries. The present miko obviously know the truth, at least recently, for nothing else would explain why she had been so reluctant in answering his queries.

Still, what could have caused such a memory loss?

The elemental's voice drew Sesshoumaru out of his puzzling thoughts. "I know what you're wondering, Sesshoumaru. Ever since I realized that those dreams were not just dreams, I've been trying to find out what happened to my memories. Since those memories seemed to be centered around the miko, it seemed prudent to investigate the area where I had found her in the first instance."

Sesshoumaru frowned. "And how did you arrive at the conclusion that they were not dreams?"

Akiyama smirked. "Kouga came to me when his dreams began, accusing me of altering his memories."

"Is that so?" Sesshoumaru's bland tone gave away none of his curiosity.

The elemental's brow rose.

Such a thing certainly would not be beyond Akiyama's abilities, Sesshoumaru thought darkly. Perhaps the elemental was responsible for this and was only pretending to be innocent. The moment the notion occurred to him, Sesshoumaru dismissed it. He might dislike the sneaky elemental, but Akiyama had never told an outright lie in this past five centuries.

"Surely you don't suppose that I had done such a thing," Akiyama remarked casually.

"Then you do not remember why this had happened."

Akiyama shook his head and then expression hardened. "The last few memories which returned involve the courting. And I intend to continue."

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. "You will not court the miko," he intoned stonily.

The elemental smirked. "Why, Sesshoumaru… You have certainly changed your tone."

"One would experience some changes over the centuries," Sesshoumaru replied flatly.

"I see." A thoughtful look crossed Akiyama's face. "Yes, it is true that five centuries had passed. Is it not also true that you no longer possess any authority over the miko's fate?

Sesshoumaru willed himself to remain calm when he realized what Akiyama was implying. "You may recall that you presented her as a gift to seal our alliance."

"Nevertheless, you released her. And I did not take offence at what is effectively a rejection of my gift," Akiyama rebutted smoothly. "She is now free to chose, as she was five hundred years ago when the courting began."

"How did such a thing happen?" Sesshoumaru gritted out, not able to suppress the edge in his voice. His past self had a lot to answer for, it seemed.

Akiyama chuckled. "I'm sure you'll find out in good time. In any case, there is nothing you could do to change the past."

Sesshoumaru glowered inwardly. He might not be able to change the past, but he would make certain that this time, the elemental would not be allowed near the miko. This sudden surge of possessiveness towards the miko was reminiscent of the feeling his younger self had felt, but never understood in the past. He was not certain that he comprehend the feeling any better now.

Pinning the elemental with a warning look, Sesshoumaru bit out harshly, "You will refrain from contacting the miko."

Obviously unperturbed, Akiyama only continued to smirked. "May the best demon win, Sesshoumaru." Turning, he began to walk away.

The elemental had only taken a few steps before he paused. Without looking over his shoulders, Akiyama said quietly, "I have no doubt that you would soon remember this. However, you may wish to know that your son was healthy and greatly resembles you in appearance."

Sesshoumaru's breath hitched in his throat.

* * *

The blare of the ambulance siren would have given her a headache if she was not so used to it by now. Shifting along the side of the injured demons, Kagome's eyes softened in sympathy as she looked over their pale forms laid out in the ambulance.

"Can you bring out the bandages? We'll need them soon," Moriko muttered absently as she exposed the unconscious demon's wound.

Reaching back, Kagome fetched the clean bandages from the side of the ambulance. At least her work distracted her from the full impact of seeing Akiyama. Of course she realized that if Sesshoumaru was still around, there must be some other demons who managed to make it to this time as well. But as stupid as it sounded, she did not expect to see those that she knew. It made her wonder if Katsuo and Natsumi were around. And what about Jaken, Shin and that wolf, Kouga? A mischievous smile crossed her lips as she thought of Inuyasha. Perhaps she should pay the half-demon a visit to jolt his memories.

"It's a good thing you already know about us," Moriko remarked wryly as she held her palms over one of the demon's wound. "Or else they have to wait until we get to the medical centre."

Still wrapped up in her thoughts, Kagome smiled absently. "Yeah." She watched with interest as what looked like crushed leaves shimmered down from Moriko's hand. It must be some kind of medicinal herb, she decided. When Moriko finished, she rubbed her hands together to dislodge the leftovers.

Dimly, Kagome wondered if her miko powers would return once she remembered everything of her past. She had tried it out a few times with not much success.

"Bandage?"

"Here."

Reaching out to take the bandages, Moriko remarked, "I guess you saw Akiyama and Sesshoumaru in the crowd."

"Yeah. I was surprised to see Akiyama there," Kagome said as she began to wrap the bandage around the wound. She supposed she should have expected Moriko to bring them up.

Moriko looked up from the wound. Then she frowned. "I don't know what he's doing here still. Got me into enough trouble that time," she grumbled.

Kagome was surprised. "What trouble?"

Moriko made a face as she finished bandaging the demon. Then she raised a hand to wipe the sweat off her brow, frowning as she did so. Her voice was strained when she spoke. "I got told off about the antidote thing. Sesshoumaru somehow managed to guess that it was me who leaked it to Akiyama."

Blinking in surprise, Kagome only managed to utter, "Oh."

So Moriko told Akiyama about the antidote behind Sesshoumaru's back? A feeling of righteous indignance rose within Kagome, causing her to start at her own reaction. Why should she fell that way about something which had nothing to do with her? It was not as if she and Sesshoumaru were the best of friends or anything like that. The only thing he wanted from her was information.

Kagome sighed inwardly. After the talk with her mother, she felt a little guilty about her lies. She had not decided what to do yet. And earlier today, when Sesshoumaru had cornered her and brought up the topic of her son, she was relieved that his cellphone had gone off, buying her more time. But how much more time did she need?

She knew that once she told him, everything would change. From what she knew of him, the fact that he had been so persistent in tracking her down to rehash the past suggested that it was important to him. And when anything was important to Sesshoumaru, he always managed to get his own way, regardless of what stood in his path.

She would be risking a lot if she told him the truth. Did she have enough faith that Sesshoumaru would not betray her trust this time?

Moriko spoke, interrupting her troubled thoughts, "Akiyama and I were just catching up, and the topic came up. So I just told him."

For a moment, Kagome could not remember what they were talking about. When she did, she could not help but ask, "Why?"

The demoness's eyes clouded, and then a strange light entered those light brown orbs. "Huh?"

Deciding that there was no harm in quelling her curiosity, Kagome asked again, "Why tell Akiyama when you know that Sesshoumaru would be mad?"

Moriko suddenly bristled. "What is it to you?" she snapped violently.

Kagome shrank back in bewilderment. She had never seen the usually pleasant girl like this before. Uncertainty crashed over her and Kagome wondered if she had broken some unspoken demon friendship rule. Cautiously, she ventured, "Are you alright?"

Moriko glared at her.

Deciding that it was best not to say anything more, Kagome simply looked away uncertainly. But she could not help but wonder about Moriko's sudden change in behavior. Something was simply not right. Asking Moriko was out of the question, considering her previous reaction.

Maybe the demoness was just tired, Kagome surmised as she snuck a peek at the scowling Moriko before turning to look out of the window.

Noticing that they had pulled up at the entrance, she glanced again at Moriko to find that the demoness was already preparing to unload their patient. Silently, Kagome worked with her sullen partner to deliver the demons to the Emergency Room. Her worry increased as Moriko's reactions remained angry and jerky as she continued to work.

Tomorrow, Kagome decided. If Moriko was still like this tomorrow, she would speak to Shiori about it.

* * *

Sesshoumaru glowered inwardly as he stepped into the building which housed Tsukuyo Medical. His mind had been filled with nothing but thought of the miko and his pup. It was clear that he could no longer wait to contact her. His instincts were clamoring for him to do so right at that moment. His expression tightened in determination. He would do so tomorrow, after he spent the night inspecting the odd feelings which were brought forth by Akiyama's words.

He and Akiyama had parted at a standstill, neither of them willing to relent. Short of physically restraining the elemental, Sesshoumaru knew that he could not realistically prevent Akiyama from approaching the miko.

And if the miko had allowed the courting in the past, there was no reason why she would object to such a notion now. Especially considering Akiyama's extensive influence in the north in the present time. Abhorrent as the thought might be, Sesshoumaru knew that there was a possibility that Akiyama had already mated the miko in the past. As not all demons' mating marks were visible, the only way to ascertain if the miko was mated was by her scent, which was unfortunately masked.

Mating bonds could be broken.

A slow smirk crept across his expression as the idea presented itself. If Akiyama and the miko had indeed mated in the past, then he, Sesshoumaru would ensure that the bond dissolved in this era. All he had to do was to gain the trust and loyalty of the miko before she succumbed to Akiyama's charms.

His smirk disappeared, only to be replaced with a contemplative frown. After what had happened in the past, he could be assured of the miko's distrust. Any attempts to bring her to his side could prove to be difficult, considering how she had been less than willing to even speak with him.

The current situation was not acceptable. Somehow, he had to make sure that she returned to him, together with his pup. He would not afford to rest until he did so.

Raising a hand, he rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily.

This entire debacle had occurred at the most unfortunate time, he thought as he made his way to down the hallway leading to Shiori's office. With the uncertainty of the situation with Naraku, this was possibly the worst time for him to indulge in personal matters.

Sesshoumaru's steps faltered when he heard the heightened voices filtering from Shiori's office. Raising a brow in surprise at Inuyasha's and Shiori's heated argument, Sesshoumaru held himself still and focused his attention through the gap in the door left ajar. He was not above eavesdropping on Shiori and Inuyasha. Considering that the two half-demons have not spoken to each other for so many centuries, this particular conversation could prove to be interesting.

"They are not allowed visitors, Inuyasha," Shiori bit out. "That's all I meant."

"Is this because of what happened before? Are you doing this for the hell of pissing me off?" Inuyasha snarled furiously.

Shiori's violet eyes narrowed as she hissed, "Now let me tell you something. That _incident_ is so far back in my mind that I'd practically forgotten about it until you brought it up a second ago." Then she snorted before saying mockingly, "But I guess for someone like you, it's harder to forget, isn't it?"

Sputtering indignantly, Inuyasha appeared to be rendered speechless by the bat hanyou's words. Sesshoumaru smirked. It never failed to amuse him that the small female possessed so much power over his brother.

Finally regaining his composure, Inuyasha spat, "It only happened because of _you_. If it was any other _normal_ female-"

"Oh, spare me the nonsense! You fell short of your own expectations, so deal with it instead of putting the blame on me." She rolled her eyes. "For all your experience, you should know better."

Inuyasha glared at her. "And my experience told me that there's nothing wrong with what I was doing. You probably did something to me!"

Shiori huffed in exasperation. "Get over it, Inuyasha! It's not like I told anyone about your premature ejacu-"

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Inuyasha bellowed, his face reddening, whether in embarrassment or in fury, Sesshoumaru did not know.

However, Sesshoumaru could not hardly stop himself from laughing out loud. There was no need for Shiori to elaborate. It was clear enough that this was the incident which had embarrassed his little brother so much that he had refused to face Shiori all this time. How amusing, Sesshoumaru thought.

Deciding that his brother had suffered enough humiliation, Sesshoumaru released his youki to alert them to his presence and began to walk towards the door. When he stepped into the room, the first thing he saw was the two half-demons glaring at each other. Perhaps it was just as well he appeared just then, otherwise who knew what would they do to each other.

Pinning his gaze on his brother, Sesshoumaru asked blandly, "Have you spoken to the demons?"

Obviously still riled over his conversation with Shiori, Inuyasha barked, "I would, if someone would let me see them."

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to Shiori. "Is there a problem, Shiori?"

"No one can see them at the moment. They're in quarantine," Shiori explained tersely. Eyes not wavering, she continued firmly, "And they will remain there until we clear the spell from them."

Sesshoumaru tensed. First it was poison and now it was a spell?

"Keh! In that case, I'm out of here," Inuyasha declared, sweeping out of the room without a backward glance.

Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed as he followed Inuyasha's swiftly departing form. Inuyasha should not allow his personal grievances to affect his job. Perhaps it was time to _advice_ his brother on this particular matter. In any case, this was not the appropriate time to focus on his brother's mistakes.

Returning his attention to more pressing matters, Sesshoumaru asked, "What do you know of the spell?"

Tearing her gaze from the door, Shiori sighed heavily. The interaction with Inuyasha had obviously affected her, Sesshoumaru thought disapprovingly. Her main focus should not be strayed from what was important.

"Shiori," he prompted impatiently.

Frowning slightly as she went to her desk, Shiori explained, "We didn't know about the spell until a few of our staff own got affected. All those affected became argumentative and violent. They are now in quarantine as well."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. This explained why those demons had been fighting in the streets, even when they knew that such behavior was unacceptable. Naraku's scheme was becoming clearer now. There was no doubt in Sesshoumaru's mind that the despicable hanyou had intended to make the human public aware of the existence of demons. Such a thing would eventually lead to chaos as the more fearful and ignorant humans overreact to the revelations. Naraku wished for such disharmony to incite the demons to lash out in retaliation. The hanyou wished for a power struggle between humans and demons. It would be similar to what had occurred four hundred years ago when the war broke out between humans and demons.

It could not happen again.

"How were they affected?" Sesshoumaru asked tersely.

"I'm not certain, but I'm guessing it spreads through contact with bodily fluids. Those affected had at some point or another, touched the demons' blood," Shiori elaborated slowly.

Sesshoumaru tensed. The miko had touched the demon's wound while they were in the streets. Had she been affected as well? Did that mean that she had been quarantined? Concern for her surged through him, and its intensity puzzled him. First it was simply possessiveness, and now he was anxious about her health?

"Where is Higurashi Kagome?"

Shiori gave him a look of surprise before her eyes turned wary. "Sesshoumaru, what exactly do you want with Kagome? Moriko told me that you know each other quite well. But from what I can see, the girl doesn't want you near her."

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. "You will refrain from meddling in my affairs."

"I'm not meddling," Shiori protested firmly. "Only concerned for one of my employees."

The need to know the miko's welfare overwhelmed him, and he could not refrain from questioning Shiori further. "Where is she?" he repeated impatiently, giving her a look which promised retribution if she did not give him a satisfactory answer.

Lips thinning in disapproval, but obviously realizing that she had no choice but to comply, Shiori bit out grudgingly, "Her shift ended and she left awhile ago. As far as we know, she was not affected. She probably didn't touch the demons."

The miko had certainly placed her hand on the demon, Sesshoumaru thought, somewhat baffled by the miko's resistance to the spell. Perhaps it was simply because she was human and the spell only affected demons.

"Were any humans affected by the spell?" he asked.

Shiori nodded. "One of the nurses."

"Hn."

In which case, it could only be her miko powers which had rendered her insusceptible to the spell.

* * *

The events at the hospital still whirred in her mind as Kagome toed her shoe off at the entrance to her family home. Moriko had continued being grumpy and then Manten had started sniping as well. It was all so weird, Kagome thought. Shiori had suspected that they had been infected by whatever the injured demons got. Kagome had wanted to remain to help out, but Shiori insisted that it was best that she went home at the end of her shift.

Well, since they were in quarantine, there was really nothing much she could do to help anyway, she surmised. She could always check up on them tomorrow, she thought as she walked into the dining room.

"Oden!" she exclaimed gleefully as her eyes landed on the steaming pot in the middle of the table.

Her mother looked up and gave her a smile. "Your favorite," she said, placing the last part of chopstick beside a rice bowl.

Returning her mother's smile, Kagome lifted Sachimaru onto his chair beside her before she sat down. It was clear that her mother was still uncomfortable over what had happened this morning. Still, Kagome was sure that everything would be back to normal in no time. Keeping the smile on her lips, she accepted a bowl of rice and once everyone had one, began eating. Kagome closed her eyes in appreciation as she chewed on her food.

"Will you be home for dinner tomorrow, Kagome?" her mother asked.

Swallowing, Kagome nodded. "I'll be home."

"I won't be here tomorrow," Souta muttered through a mouthful of food.

"Souta, swallow before you speak," their mother chided gently. "Where will you be?"

Gulping down his food, Souta said, "I thought I told you all. I'm going on that camping trip tomorrow. It's only for two nights."

All of a sudden, their grandfather brandished a handful of ofudas. "Here. Take this with you."

Souta's eyes goggled, and then shifted away from the old man. "Jii-chan… Thanks, but no thanks."

Moustache and beard twitching in affront, their grandfather declared, "It will protect you!"

"Jii-chan," Kagome said dryly as she laid a hand on their grandfather's arm. "I think Souta will be safe."

He simply harrumphed indignantly.

Kagome glanced around at the suspiciously silent Sachimaru. Her son seemed to be deep in thought.

"What's wrong, Sachimaru?" she asked, brushing a strand of silver hair out of his eyes.

Sachimaru blinked, and then shook his head quickly. "Nothing, Okaa-san."

Wondering if it was because of Souta's trip, Kagome said gently, "Look, I'll take sometime off in a couple of weeks and we can have our own little trip, alright?"

Sachimaru looked surprised. Then he beamed, golden eyes lighting up instantly. "Really? In two weeks? Can we go to the beach?" he gushed.

Kagome laughed as her son continued to bombard her with places he wanted to visit. Soon enough, it was time for bed. She tucked Sachimaru in and at his request, gave him the latest edition of her past life as his bedtime story before retiring to her own room for a much needed rest.

Recalling the nature of her last dream, Kagome sighed as she snuggled into her own bed. She and Sesshoumaru still were not speaking to each other in the past. And she wondered if they ever broke the silence before she returned to the future.

With that thought, she drifted off into the land of unconsciousness.

* * *

The angle of the sun filtering through the washi told her that it was about two in the afternoon. It was one of the things she had learnt since there were no clocks around for her to tell time, Kagome mused as she left her room.

She knew that by the time she got to the courtyard, Inuyasha would be waiting for her. They had settled into a routine, where he would disappear when she was having breakfast and during her training with Katsuo.

Kagome smiled softly when she remembered the day Natsumi had found out that nothing happened between her and Katsuo. Both their eyes had been damp when they hugged each other. It was then that Natsumi had suggested that she should continue training with Katsuo, saying that it might help with the birthing.

As she walked down the hallway, Kagome's steps faltered as she saw who was coming towards her from the opposite direction. Flanked by shoji screens on both sides, hallway was just wide enough for two to pass, but it would bring them close. Too close, she realized irritably. Shaking away her thoughts, she resumed her journey, not intending to give him any indication of her discomfort. As they drew closer to each other, she peeked through her lashes, noting the tight set of his jaw.

Sesshoumaru simply ignored her as he passed.

Suppressing the urge to rub her arm where his sleeve had brushed against her, she continued to walk, not intending to say a word to him.

It was a pattern which they have both adopted in the past one month. She knew she was being stubborn, but she was not going to take the first step. By doing so, she would only convince Sesshoumaru that he was right. Only she could not quite remember what exactly the problem was anymore.

Oh yes, he had forced her to stay. He had even gone so far as to tell her that she was free, but her baby belonged to the Western Lands. Then he had completely tossed her aside, leaving her under Inuyasha's watchful eyes. Kagome glowered as she went outside, heading for a certain boulder in the courtyard. Did he not care that she was carrying his baby? Obviously not, she decided dryly.

And then there were those looks Sesshoumaru had been giving Katsuo whenever he saw his general with her. It seemed that Sesshoumaru grudged her every bit of joy she could get in this place. Strangely enough, Katsuo had not said a word about those looks. So she guessed that either Katsuo had not seen it, or he had decided to ignore it. Come to think of it, Sesshoumaru's and Katsuo's interactions nowadays did appear a little strained. Not that Katsuo had done anything wrong. The hanyou simply chose to divide his free time between training her in her miko powers and courting Natsumi.

Sitting on a tall boulder facing the hotsprings, Kagome wrapped her arm tight around her knees and sighed. Soon, she would not even be able to sit like this. It had only been one month since Sesshoumaru had told her that she was carrying his baby…pup, but there was already a slight bulge in her midsection. Natsumi had told her that it is likely that the pup would be born in about four month's time.

At least it was not the usual nine months, Kagome thought glumly.

A large part of her was angry at the hopelessness of whole situation, but she had to admit that a small part of her was excited about having a baby of her own. But what would she do after she gave birth? Sesshoumaru had not said anything beyond ordering her to remain. Did he intend to keep her there as the mother of his child? Or did he intend to let her leave after his heir was born? Did she have the heart to return to the future knowing that she was leaving her child behind?

There was no way to ask him about it. She had to admit that she had not expected this silence to last so long, or that he could be so cold towards her and his unborn child. It was so completely unlike the few weeks she had spent with him before they mated. Strangely enough, she realized that she missed him.

She slumped, groaning into her arms.

"Oi! What's wrong now?"

She lifted her head to glare at her 'guard', who was in his customary position on his favorite branch. "Nothing," she growled.

Inuyasha simply scowled back at her.

Apparently, keeping an eye on her and protecting her formed Inuyasha's punishment for dishonoring his family. That in itself should tell her how Sesshoumaru viewed her presence, she thought bitterly. It was practically a full-time job, seeing that the hanyou had to even remain guarding her outside the shoji screen while she slept. The alternative for Inuyasha would be banishment from the Western Lands. The hanyou basically had no choice but to obey his brother's decree, however reluctant he might be.

Another proof of Sesshoumaru's high-handedness, Kagome thought snidely. Tired of having no privacy and feeling rather emotional, Kagome stood up with the intention of returning to her room.

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha asked.

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Where else? My room, of course. It's not like I can go anywhere else."

"Why not?"

Kagome frowned in confusion. "What do you mean? That I can go out?"

Inuyasha paused in thought momentarily. "Keh! The bastard didn't say anything about walking outside the ground. To be honest, I've had enough of being cooped up in here for one stupid month."

He really meant it? Brightening instantly, Kagome exclaimed, "We can go out and you can show me around." Then she grinned, "Come on, let's go."

He was obviously taken aback by her sudden exuberance. She did not blame him. For the last one month, she had been moody and withdrawn. The morning sickness had hit hard, but thankfully, the effects had waned over the last few days.

She watched in fascination as his eyes flickered for a moment, and then a slow grin appeared on his face, making him look much more approachable than he had appeared for the past weeks.

Things suddenly appeared a little brighter.

Leaping off the tree to land in front of her, Inuyasha said gruffly, "Let's go."

She glanced down at her miko outfit. "This is alright?"

He blinked. "Why not? In any case, we won't be going too far."

Too happy to be out to care where they were going, Kagome beamed. Walking beside Inuyasha, they made their way to the guarded entrance. The two inuyoukai guards looked up when they approached. One of them quirked a questioning brow. The hanyou beside her immediately bristled, and Kagome had to bite her lips to stop herself from grinning. She was obviously getting used to Inuyasha's rather uncouth manners. It still amazed her how two brothers could be so different.

She bit back her sigh. There she was, thinking about Sesshoumaru again. She had to stop doing that.

"May we be of assistance, Lord Inuyasha?"

"Just step aside and let us pass. We're just going for a little walk. I'll bring her back in one piece," Inuyasha explained, obviously annoyed at having to explain himself.

The guard hesitated for a moment. Then he finally shrugged. "As you wish."

Inuyasha walked past the guard without another word, but Kagome paused and gave them a grateful smile. Inclining their heads, they returned her smile.

"Don't fall behind," Inuyasha warned.

Kagome rolled her eyes as she went to his side. "I'm pregnant, not maimed."

Inuyasha gave her an odd look. "Just make sure you say something if anything feels off. Sesshoumaru's brat is probably just as much as a pain as he is."

Kagome felt her lips twitch. Inuyasha often made disparaging remarks about his brother. But under all that bluster, she could sense that Inuyasha respected his brother.

"Don't call my child a brat, Inuyasha," she chided lightheartedly, not wanting to spoil their newfound peace.

"The pup doesn't have a name, right? What else should I call it?"

"If I have a son, I'll name him Sachimaru. And if it's a daughter, I'll name her Misao," she declared firmly.

"Keh! Sesshoumaru would probably want to name the brat."

Kagome made a face. "Well, seeing that he's barely around, I doubt he'll even notice when the baby is born."

"He'll notice, alright. Inuyoukai are possessive of their pups," Inuyasha muttered as he guided her across a narrow stream in front of the castle, keeping a firm hold on her arms.

"I can see how much attention he has been paying to this one," she remarked dryly, stepping carefully over the flat rocks.

When they got to the other side of the stream, Inuyasha frowned. "I heard some strange things from the servants. Strange, even for Sesshoumaru."

Kagome looked away. There was no way she was going to drag up all that had happened one month ago. "Probably just rumors," she muttered.

He gave her a doubtful look. "Keh!"

* * *

From his position at the open shoji screen, Sesshoumaru's lips tightened as he watched the departing figures of his brother and the mother of his pup as they crossed the castle grounds. This trip of theirs appeared to be a regular one ever since Inuyasha had escorted the miko out of the compound for the first time more than two cycle of the moon ago. It irked him that the miko and Inuyasha had been getting along well when she was not even speaking to him.

He was not counting, but over the last eighty days or so, the desire to approach the miko had nudged at him insistently. He had suppressed the urge each time it had arisen, for he was not certain of the outcome. It was not difficult to recognized that his need to distance himself from her stemmed from his aversion towards forming any attachment to her, especially now with the suspicion that she might be bearing his pup. His instincts would cloud his judgment and that was unacceptable.

"My Lord?"

Without turning attention away from the diminishing figures traversing across the snow, Sesshoumaru glanced at his retainer out of the corner of his eyes.

Bowing slightly, Jaken announced, "The Northern Lord's messenger is here to inform us of his arrival."

Eyes narrowing as he turned around to face his retainer, Sesshoumaru wondered what was Akiyama's purpose in showing himself in the Western Lands again. The last time he had paid them a visit, Akiyama had spent most of his time attempting to extricate information from the miko. Would he be expecting to do the same this time?

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Jaken prompted nervously.

"When?"

"This afternoon."

"See them in when they arrive," Sesshoumaru finally instructed. The sooner he found out what the elemental wanted this time, the sooner he would be rid of the unwanted presence.

When Jaken left the study, Sesshoumaru turned his attention back outside, only to find that the miko and Inuyasha were no longer in sight. Gritting his teeth in annoyance and not comprehending why he should feel so incensed at their excursions, Sesshoumaru spun around to return to his waiting scrolls.

Forcing his mind onto the more pressing task of protecting his lands from the persistent demon slayers, Sesshoumaru read through Shin's latest reports. It appeared that the demon slayers were not discouraged by the fact that one of their slayers had died by his claws, considering their audacity in staying in the Western Lands.

Perhaps further action would be required at his end.

He remained absorbed in his task until a series of respectful taps sounded on the shoji screen, making him glance up. Sensing the presence of the Northern Lord and Jaken at the other side, Sesshoumaru called for them to enter. The screen instantly slid open to reveal Akiyama, dressed in his usual black attire, wearing no signs of the falling snow outside.

Sesshoumaru stood up. "Lord Akiyama," he greeted emotionlessly.

"Lord Sesshoumaru. I thank you for your gracious welcome."

"Hn."

"I wish to congratulate you on the pending arrival of your heir." The elemental glanced around curiously, before he added pointedly, "And I, of course, would like to extend the same wish to your mate."

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. "This Sesshoumaru has no mate."

Akiyama gave him an odd look. "Am I wrong to congratulate you on your heir?"

Not knowing what to say, Sesshoumaru simply remained silent.

A furrow creased Akiyama's brow. "I had hoped that I misheard. Apparently not."

The meaning behind the other demon's words did not escape him. The tales of the situation between him and the miko had obviously reached far. And the Northern Lord had the audacity to chastise him? Sesshoumaru bit back a growl.

"This matter does not concern you, Lord Akiyama."

"Surely I can express concern over Kagome, who may I add, was my gift to you to seal our alliance?" Akiyama pointed out smoothly. "Any mistreatment could be construed as a reflection upon your regard of this alliance."

Sesshoumaru stared at the Northern Lord, irked beyond belief. At some point, he had forgotten the fact that the miko was indeed, a gift from the elemental. However, he would not allow Akiyama to continue addressing him in such a disrespectful manner.

His expression turned icy. "It appears that the purpose of your visit is to inspect upon the miko. This implies your lack of confidence in this Sesshoumaru's judgment." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Is it not true that a certain amount of faith is expected from one's ally?"

Akiyama bowed slightly, but kept his eyes fixed on Sesshoumaru. "Please accept my apologies, for I did not intend to offend. However, this matter raises… concerns."

"A needless concern."

"Perhaps. Still, I wish to remain in the Western Lands for a few days. We have matters to discuss. Matters pertaining to our lands. And as before, I wish to have the pleasure of the miko's company."

Sesshoumaru held himself stiffly. "She is… indisposed."

"I'm certain that a little conversation would do no harm, even in the miko's… condition," Akiyama returned smoothly. "I am not unfamiliar with breeding females, as my assistant had recently give birth to an offspring."

Knowing that he had no option but to agree, Sesshoumaru bit out stiffly, "You will require the miko's consent."

Akiyama smiled. "I am certain she would be pleased to see me."

* * *

Kagome sipped slowly at the steaming herbal tea in the clay cup between her palms and then let out a blissful sigh of contentment. Light flakes of snow were flitting down from the sky, covering the surrounding garden with a thick layer of snow. It was beautiful in an almost enchanted way, especially from her vantage point seated on a stone bench opposite a circular stone table, with only a sloping garden roof as protection.

"Your turn," a quiet voice broke into her musings.

Pulling her attention away from the scenery back to the chu shogi board resting on the table between her and Akiyama. It took her a while to get used to the ancient rules and the slightly different pieces of the game, but it resembled the modern shogi enough such that she could play.

The Northern Lord had been staying in the Western Lands for the past three days now. At first, she had been wary of him, expecting him to start with his subtle questioning techniques but so far, he had not uttered a word about Sesshoumaru or anything to do with the Western Lands. In fact, he seemed content to talk to her about nothing at all. Which was fine by her, much to Inuyasha's irritation. Every time he wished to talk to her without Inuyasha, Akiyama simply held on to her and dissolved them into the air to reappear somewhere else. She had been scared out of her wits at first, and then it became more and more exhilarating to find out where they might land next.

That had been what the elemental had done this time, landing her in this private little spot in the gardens with a game of shogi waiting. Kagome bit back a gleeful smirk when she noted an opening on the board. She had not played this chess-like game with her grandfather for so many years without learning something. Confidently moving her piece, she then looked up expectantly.

She barely suppressed a grin when she saw the barely veiled chagrin on Akiyama's face.

"A very wise move, Kagome," he remarked wryly.

Kagome laughed. Akiyama spoke to her like an equal, if she could forget the fact that he was the reason why she was there in the first place. If he had not kidnapped her, she would have probably found a way back to the well sooner or later. Instead, she was now stuck in the past and pregnant even before her sixteenth birthday.

She immediately slumped at the thought of her current predicament as homesickness washed over her. With a sigh, she muttered, "I want to go home."

Akiyama gave her a look of surprise across the board. "You've not been treated well?"

Kagome snorted. "Depends on what you mean." Then her tone softened. "Katsuo and Natsumi are my best friends. Even Inuyasha is not that bad."

"Sesshoumaru?" Akiyama asked, wearing a suspiciously bland look.

Kagome glanced at him sharply. "You can stop that right now. I'm not spilling any secrets about Sesshoumaru this time either." Looking away, she added, "I don't know much nowadays anyway. We're not speaking."

Akiyama's brows rose. "Is there a reason behind the silence?"

Kagome sighed. "Long story. But the tail end of it is that I want to go home and Sesshoumaru refused to let me go even after he said that I'm free."

"He released you?" Akiyama asked, looking astonished.

"Until he figured out I was pregnant," she explained wryly. "Then he dragged me back, threatening to sniff me out if I tried to escape. So I can't even escape. He'll just follow my scent."

"Scent tracking is not always infallible."

Kagome blinked. "What do you mean?"

"There are ways to hide one's scent. As a miko, this should not be too difficult for you."

So there was a way to make sure that Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha could not find her scent? Brightening with interest, Kagome urged, "Tell me how."

"You wish to escape?" the elemental asked carefully, as if he was reluctant to say more.

Kagome simply stared at him balefully. What sort of question was that?

Brows furrowing, Akiyama said, "It is not wise to do so, Kagome. Certainly not in your condition," he said, inclining his head at the bump in her midsection.

Kagome glanced down. With only a little more than two months to go, she looked swollen alright. But Akiyama's words gave her hope that one day, after her baby was born, she might be able to escape. The only thing left to do was for her to find out how exactly she could hide her scent.

That way, Sesshoumaru would not be able to track her down.

* * *

Was that how she had ended up back in the future? Had she somehow managed to learn to mask her scent? Kagome frowned, remembering that the present day Sesshoumaru had once demanded her to remove her scent masking. So that must be it, right? But how did their memories get wiped out along the way? She groaned in frustration, wanting nothing more than for her memories to return.

Maybe her mother was right about breaking the truth to Sesshoumaru. Besides, she was growing increasingly guilty that she was keeping the father and son apart. Maybe she should talk to Sesshoumaru and have faith that everything would be alright. She had stayed there for two years after all, so surely things between her and Sesshoumaru had not been that bad.

But what if she was wrong? What if she had escaped because things had gotten unbearably worse?

An odd feeling of being watched drew her away from her contemplations.

Something was not right.

Steps slowing as she approached the shrine steps, Kagome frowned. Surely it was just her imagination. She was just walking back from work, and it was in the middle of the afternoon. No one would be stupid enough to attack her in broad daylight. Maybe she was just getting paranoid over what had happened to Moriko and the rest. When she went to work earlier, Shiori had told her that the spell had been deliberately cast to cause trouble between humans and demons. A whole day had passed, but according to Shiori, the spell was still in effect. Kagome glanced down at her hands, wondering if she could have helped heal them if she still had her miko powers.

Still, she could not help feeling a little unnerved at the moment. Cautiously, clutching her bag tight in her hands, Kagome turned to look over her shoulders. What she saw made her gasp as her eyes rounded in surprise.

Grinding to a halt, she spun around fully and glared at the approaching demon. Her heart was still thumping erratically.

"Are you _stalking_ me, Sesshoumaru?" she demanded tersely, planting her hands on her hips. Yesterday, it was the linen closet and now he was…HERE.

Silently, Sesshoumaru stared at her. He appeared to mulling over her words, she realized in disbelief.

"In a way, yes," he finally replied. "I was waiting for you."

A short pause followed as something occurred to her. "How do you know where I live?"

"Employee files."

"You've been _spying_ on me?" she asked, incredulity lacing her words.

"Hn."

"Why?"

He regarded her silently, then ignoring her question, he asked, "Why did you lie to me?"

Kagome went cold. "What are you talking about?" she managed to say.

His eyes clouded. "Do not make the same mistakes as before, Miko. This time, we will not avoid each other. We will speak of why you deem it necessary to hide your real identity. That you are not simply a reincarnation."

He knew? Her heart began to race. How did he figure it out? Maybe his memories were returning faster than hers.

"We will talk, Miko."

Stall, Kagome. She had to stall to give herself a chance to make a decision. Lifting her chin, she said firmly, "You want to talk? Fine! We'll talk." She pointed at the last step of the shrine. "Stay here and don't move."

Without looking back, she ran up the shrine steps. She needed time to think about what she could say to him. The truth or more lies? Should she place her faith in him or continue to protect herself? Biting her lips, she fought the urge to scream when she realized that she could not think of anything at the moment. Groaning, she made her way to her house, only to see her mother standing at the door.

The first thing she noticed was her mother's worried expression.

As a feeling of misgiving crept up her spine, all thoughts of Sesshoumaru left her mind. "Is everything alright, Mom?" she asked, rushing forward.

"Sachimaru… I can't find him."

Kagome's throat went dry. "What do you mean?"

Her mother shook her head helplessly. "I came out to call him in to wash up for dinner. I've been calling for him for the last hour but he's not answering."

"Have you checked everywhere?" Kagome asked urgently.

Her mother nodded. "He's not here."

Where could the boy be?

Then her eyes widened when she realized something.

Souta.

Souta told them yesterday that he would leave the house after lunch. The last time anyone had seen Sachimaru had been during lunch. Her eyes narrowed as she felt herself flush with anger. Did Souta allow Sachimaru to go with him after she had forbidden it? It was highly uncharacteristic of her brother to be so irresponsible.

"Mom, I think I know where he is."

"Where?"

"With Souta."

Her mother's eyes widened in comprehension. Then she exhaled a breath of relief. "I'd better fetch Jii-chan from the neighbors then. He went to ask around."

Kagome nodded grimly as she watched her mother leave. Then, stepping into the house, she picked up the phone and dialed the cellphone number for one of Souta's friend.

"Hello? Kenshin?" she greeted, trying to keep her voice even. "It's Kagome here. Souta's sister?"

"Oh, Kagome-san. I didn't recognize your voice."

"Never mind. Is Souta there?"

"He's just up front in the bus. Wait a second."

"Thank you, Kenshin."

Calm, Kagome. Keep calm, she told herself. All she wanted to do was to wring Souta's skinny neck. She heard a scratchy sound before Souta's voice came on.

"Nee-chan?" her brother greeted. "Is something wrong?"

"I told you not to let Sachimaru go with you, Souta!" Kagome yelled angrily.

Nothing but silence greeted her.

"Souta? Are you listening to me?" she snapped impatiently. Really, when her brother got home, she would strangle him. Not to mention Sachimaru would get a lecture he would never forget. Her son should have known that she meant every word she had said to him.

"Sachimaru is not with us," Souta whispered. "Where is he?"

A sinking feeling appeared in her stomach. "What do you mean, Sachimaru is not with you?" she choked out. "Then where-"

"Sachimaru is missing?" Souta interjected, anxiety evident in his voice.

A panicked sob broke from her. "If he's not with you, I don't know where he is!" she wailed desperately.

She heard some sounds in the background, then Souta came back on the line, "Look. I'll get back as soon as I can. Don't worry, Nee-chan. Sachimaru is a smart boy. And we will find him."

Kagome sniffed. "Thanks, Souta," she whispered, and then she hung up before she turned around.

Only to find herself staring into a pair of flickering golden orbs.

Why was he here? He was supposed to be waiting for her at the base of the shrine steps. Her breath suspended in her chest as she wondered just how much Sesshoumaru had heard.

Sesshoumaru's voice was stony when he asked, "You lost our son?"

* * *

t.b.c.

…

A/N: That's it for now. Hope you were entertained. As always, I'd love it if you can review. Thank you!


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing this story. While I'm at it, I would also like to thank WiccanMethuselah and Malitiadixie for nominating and seconding this story for the IYFG Second Quarter 2007 in the Serial category. I didn't expect it, so it was a nice surprise, hehe! Anyway, back to the story…

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 16**

Sesshoumaru was incensed that she had been careless enough to lose the pup, especially considering that she had hidden Sachimaru from him all this time.

"You lost our son?" he asked stonily. The question had escaped his lips before he could prevent it, and only then did he realize how he had sounded.

Still, the miko's answer to his question would confirm if Akiyama's information was accurate. Unless, of course, she chose to evade the question once again. As Sesshoumaru watched, a myriad of expressions crossed the miko's face. Anger suffused her features, quickly followed by fear and then her eyes flashed in something which could only be described as outrage.

To his astonishment, she reached up to him and fisted her small hands in his shirt.

"What gives you the right to tell me off like I've done something wrong?" she hissed into his face, pushing her fists against him. "You weren't even interested in him before he was born! And whatever that had happened between now and then, I'm not sure you've earned the right to say something like that to me!"

Stunned, Sesshoumaru did not immediately react to the assault on his person, even though he realized vaguely that her strength was meager compared to his. Standing stock still, the only thought that ran through his mind was that the miko did not deny that the pup was his son.

Then it must be true. Sachimaru, the pup wearing the light colored crescent moon was his heir. Although he had expected this after his encounter with Akiyama, it was still shocking to have it confirmed by the miko. The implications of having a pup of his own and a miko as the pup's mother whirred in his mind. How could she have kept something like this from him? Did she not understand that he has the right to know his own pup?

Incensed at being denied his right, Sesshoumaru clamped his hands around her wrists, stilling her movements. Lowering his face close to hers until their noses were almost touching, he intoned harshly, "That pup is my heir. He shares my blood and therefore, I have every right to be involved in all affairs concerning him."

"You never cared before!!" she yelled vehemently. "So now you can stay out of this!"

His tensed, knowing that he could say nothing to the contrary as he knew that his younger self had made a mistake in this regard. Still, at the moment, the miko's anger had to be dealt with. And considering the current situation, a quarrel with the miko would yield nothing.

"Regardless of what had occurred in the past, I have attempted to converse with you on more than one occasion in the present," he said tightly. He gave her wrists a measured squeeze for emphasis before he released them. "You, however, had been nothing but uncooperative."

The miko glared at him for a long moment before the fury in her eyes abated, only to be replaced by bewilderment and then resignation. Heaving in a large breath of air, she averted her gaze and then sank down onto the floor. Silently, Sesshoumaru stared down at her as she wrapped her arms around her legs and buried her face in her knees, a picture of dejection.

"I don't know where he is," she whispered plaintively.

Yes, while they were arguing, the pup was still missing. Sesshoumaru gave himself an inward shake. Right now, his own feelings could wait. They had a more pressing matter to tend to. The irony bordered on unbelievable. They had been separated for five hundred years and the moment he had gained enough information to approach, his pup had gone missing.

Perhaps Naraku was involved in this, Sesshoumaru realized as trepidation settled in his throat. Perhaps Naraku had kidnapped Sachimaru as a payback for the Toukijin incident. However, it seemed rather farfetched as Sachimaru's parentage was not a well-known information. It may be wiser for him to approach this in a more systematic manner without giving in to unnecessary alarm.

"Where was his last known location?" Sesshoumaru asked, keeping his emotions on a tight rein.

She raised her head and Sesshoumaru found himself staring into a pair of damp brown eyes. Her voice was shaky when she said, "Somewhere around the shrine grounds, I think." Then her expression turned hopeful. "You can find him?"

"Hn." He would search this area and would not cease until the pup was found.

The miko simply stared up at him, her features a mix of uncertainty and hope.

Extending his hand down at her, he instructed, "Get up."

She gave his hand a doubtful look. Sesshoumaru had to suppress his irritation at her obvious sign of distrust. Although it was not unexpected, it still stung. Forcing himself to remain calm, he locked his eyes with hers, willing her to accept his assistance. This lack of trust must be mended for them to move forward.

The tension melted out of him when the miko gave him a hesitant smile as she reached out to hold his hands, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Once she was upright, she immediately released his hand. His displeasure at her omission of the truth and her mistrust of him seeped away when he noticed just how distraught she was. It was obvious that she doted on the pup. Dimly, he wondered if she had always known that Sachimaru was hers before the dreams had begun.

Even though he now knew more than before, the reasons behind their memory loss remained elusive. It was safe to surmise that everyone who had any form of contact with the miko had had their memories erased. But what was the reason behind it? What was so important that the miko's presence needed to be cloaked in such secrecy?

Nevertheless, at the present moment, their priority was to locate the missing pup. They would discuss their memory loss later.

"We will search the shrine. Sachimaru will be found," Sesshoumaru declared as he stepped out of the house, expecting her to follow. The sun was already setting, but the lack of illumination would not prevent him from carrying out this task. It was only when he was halfway across the front garden that he realized that the miko was still standing at the door, staring at him with a troubled look on her face.

"Sesshoumaru…I suppose we need to talk."

"Indeed." That was what he had attempted on many separate occasions.

She took a deep breath as she walked up to him, appearing to have decided upon something. "I guess you know that I'm the same miko as the one in the past."

He paused in his steps. "I have established that," he replied calmly.

The look she gave him was filled with uncertainty. "You're not mad?"

His eyes narrowed. Yes, he was displeased. "I'm certain that you would explain yourself adequately. As it is, the entire event is somewhat… astonishing."

"So you think I'm finding this easy to believe?" she retorted, obviously frustrated. "I just found out that my family lied to me for the past three years!"

Sesshoumaru gave her a nod, encouraging her to continue as he expanded his senses over the shrine grounds to locate his son. Unfortunately, he would not be able to track Sachimaru by scent, considering that both the pup's and the miko's scents were masked. His hearing was all he could utilize, but he was more than able to listen to the miko at the same time.

When he heard nothing, his brows furrowed. "Miko," he prompted.

She worried her lips thoughtfully before she began. "My family told me I had been in a coma for two years. The truth is, I wasn't in a coma at all. I fell into the well in the shrine. The two years I disappeared were the same time as when I met you back in the past. And after those two years, my family found me outside the well. And that was three years ago. Then, about a few months ago, the dreams started."

Sesshoumaru paused in his steps. It was around the same time as his own dreams had begun. Something must have broken the concealing spell. "Was there any occurrence of unusual events before the dreams began?" he asked.

The miko shook her head. "I can't think of anything. I only became suspicious once I met you. Then I found out that I… umm… was pregnant in the past." She lowered her eyes. "I went for a… umm… physical examination. And that's when it all came out."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes in an attempt to retain his calm. "Has it not occurred to you to inform me when you discovered the truth?" he bit out, sounding harsher than he had intended.

She immediately bristled. "Look, I agreed to talk, not to argue with you. Right now, you're probably the only person who can find Sachimaru. But…"

He just stared at her, waiting for her to continue. She obviously disliked the notion of asking him for assistance. Perhaps it was from the fact that he had been absent when she had needed his support in the past. Their relationship, as far as he could remember, had been nothing if not complicated.

And he was not certain how their relationship in this era would evolve.

One thing was clear, though. His pup would know him as a father. As it was, the pup had gone far too long without the influence of a male youkai and by now, could be unruly and uncontrollable, though he had seen no such signs so far.

As they approached an area which seemed strangely familiar, he snuck a sideways glance at the miko. She was understandably distraught over the missing pup, as proven by the troubled look in her eyes.

"We will find the pup," he said quietly, strangely compelled to reassure her.

The miko blinked, and then dashed the back of her hand over her eyes. "What if we can't find him?"

"We will."

It was then that an almost inaudible whine caught his attention. Sesshoumaru instantly stilled, placing a hand on the miko's shoulder to halt her steps.

"Sesshoumaru…" she whispered, reaching up to grasp his hand. "You sense him?"

He gave her a nod, cautioning her to silence. As she held her breath, he glanced around, noting the familiar Goshinboku tree in the distance, the one which Inuyasha had once been pinned to for fifty years. It meant that they were near the well.

Another pitiful whine sounded.

His eyes instantly focused on the wellhouse. A feeling of dread enveloped him as he strode towards it, all the while hoping that the pup was safe. Still holding on to his hand, the miko followed him silently. The touch of her small hand was strangely reassuring.

He heard the muffled whine again as he drew closer to the wellhouse, the sound prompting him to increase the urgency of his steps. Ignoring the miko's gasp of surprise, he gathered her in his arms and streaked across the shrine grounds until he reached the wooden door. Not releasing his hold on her, he pushed the door open and launched himself forward until he landed in front of the old well.

"He is inside," Sesshoumaru declared in a strained voice as he lifted the cover, shaken by the intensity of his relief at the realization that the pup was safe from Naraku.

"Sachimaru!" the miko gushed, surging forward before he could glance into the deep well.

Turning around, he immediately clamped a restraining arm around her waist. "Miko…" he warned.

"Let me go! I need to get him out!" she yelled, struggling frantically against his hold.

Spinning her around to pin an uncompromising look on her, he hissed, "Do you not remember how this had all begun in the first place? Do you wish to repeat it?"

The miko instantly stilled, her eyes widening in alarm. Then she glanced at the well. "B-But… he fell in…"

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. "He fell in, and is probably hurt at the bottom of the well. But if you fall in, we do not know where you would end up." He squeezed her shoulders lightly, willing her to trust him. "I will fetch our son."

Her lips parted. "B-But… what if you went in…"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I doubt I would be affected by the time portal if Sachimaru was not. Stand back from the well."

Before she could respond, Sesshoumaru formed his cloud and descended into the well. He could see Sachimaru curled up at the bottom of the well, whining intermittently even though he was unconscious. Keeping the pace of his descent measured was difficult, considering his urgency to ensure that his pup was safe.

When he finally landed on the base of the well, Sesshoumaru knelt down and carefully lifted the limp body into his arms, holding his son for the first time he could remember. A liquid warmth welled up within Sesshoumaru as he pulled Sachimaru closer. Carefully, he inspected his pup for injuries and with relief, found none.

"Sesshoumaru?" the miko's voice echoed down the well. "Is he okay?"

He looked up to find the miko peeking in. His lips tightened when he realized that she had once again disobeyed his instruction. Although it irked him, it was also oddly comforting to know that she was still the same person as he had known back in the past.

Knowing that she would not rest until she knew, he said, "He's uninjured, only unconscious."

The miko gasped.

"Miko, I will be ascending. Step back."

Her head immediately disappeared from sight. Gathering his cloud at his feet, Sesshoumaru rose upwards until the miko's worried expression came into view. The moment his feet touched the ground beside the well, she rushed forward towards him and the pup cradled in his arms.

"Sachimaru!" she exclaimed, immediately reaching out to touch the unconscious pup, as if to reassure herself that he was there. "Are you sure he's alright?"

"There's no blood and no broken bones. He's simply unconscious, possibly from the shock but will be fine once he awakens," he told her softly. "His demonic side will see to that."

Standing still, Sesshoumaru kept his eyes trained on the miko as she buried her face in the pup's chest, the top of her head touching his own chest. He could feel her shake through their son as she sobbed. Out of its own volition, Sesshoumaru shifted an arm to wrap it around her back, pulling her closer such that they were all entwined in one single embrace.

The rightness of what he felt at that moment could not be dismissed. It was then that he vowed that whatever it took, he would keep them with him.

Both of them.

He would inspect his reasons for doing so later, but it would make no difference to his decision. His instincts assured him that this was right. If he had not dismissed his instincts in the past, he would not be in this predicament, and Akiyama would probably never have gotten near the miko. His eyes narrowed in determination. Akiyama would come to terms with this, even if it meant breaking the five centuries old alliance.

After a long moment, the miko finally lifted her head to look at him through red-rimmed eyes. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru," she whispered tremulously.

"He should be in bed," Sesshoumaru said quietly. "I'll carry him there."

The miko blinked, and then with a small smile, she nodded.

It was not long before they stepped into the house and went upstairs. Sesshoumaru noted his surroundings with approval. Although the family was not as wealthy as he was, their home was comfortable. And the pup was obviously spoiled if the number of toys was anything to go by, he noted wryly when the miko guided him to Sachimaru's bed.

Pulling the blanket to the side, the miko said, "You can put him down now."

Carefully, as to not jolt the pup, Sesshoumaru lowered the small body onto the bed. As he straightened, the miko pulled the covers over Sachimaru. The pup shifted slightly, snuggling deeper into the bed. From the returning color in his cheeks, Sesshoumaru was certain that the pup would be fine once he slept and allowed his body to recover from the shock.

Still, Sesshoumaru was reluctant to move away from the side of the bed. He felt content just standing there, watching his pup sleep. Beside him, the miko sank to the floor, leaning against the wooden frame of the bed. A deep sigh drew his attention away from Sachimaru and onto her small form.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru."

He did not know what she meant. Sorry that she had lost their pup? Sorry that she had kept Sachimaru hidden? Or that she had lied to him all this time about her identity?

"I shouldn't have kept Sachimaru from you."

"Why did you?" he asked as he knelt down in front of her, needing to see her while she explained her actions.

She bit her lips. "I was scared."

"There is no reason for you to fear."

She did not look convinced.

He understood her mistrust, but he could not understand why she would fear him. "Miko. You will explain this unreasonable fear."

A weak laugh escaped from her. "You won't want to know."

"Miko…"

She sighed. "I just don't want you to take him away from me."

Sesshoumaru stiffened. Such a thought had not even occurred to him. The pup would need his mother. And he had already decided earlier that they would no longer be apart. All three of them. That being the case, then where did it leave him and the miko? Did that mean that they would mate once again?

"You need not worry about such matters," he finally said.

She looked troubled. "Still…"

He interjected firmly, "You have my word. Sachimaru will remain with you." And with him as well, Sesshoumaru added silently. Though he was certain that the miko required a certain amount of persuasion before she agreed.

Her lips twisted bitterly. "Your word, huh?"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes in resignation. There was no avoiding such a topic or the consequences of his past self's actions. "Yes, Miko. My word," he confirmed, his tone filled with certainty.

* * *

His word.

Kagome wanted to scream and rant at him about what he had done to his 'words' in the past, but she tried to remain calm. "It didn't mean much before," she said, keeping her tone measured.

"Time changes many things."

She glanced sharply at him. Had he really changed that much? Silently, she took note of the expression in his eyes, reading the intense certainty in them. Upon further perusal, she saw the unmistakable look of apology he wore. She bit her lips, knowing that in the past, Sesshoumaru would not have worn that look.

She had not expected him to be there, but after her initial anger, she was glad that he was. Without him, Sachimaru would have been stuck in the well for a long time. And if she tried to get him out, she might end up in the past again, this time without Sachimaru. Sesshoumaru had been calm during the crisis, while she had done nothing but break down in panic.

But what did Sesshoumaru want from her? He had wanted answers, and now he knew all she knew about the past. So what now? From what she could tell from the way his eyes had softened at the sight of Sachimaru, she had no doubt that he would want to see his son again. But how would Sachimaru react to seeing his long lost father? She had not even told him that she was his real mother.

Kagome groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I don't even know how to explain this to Sachimaru. I don't know how he would take it. The last time we touched upon this topic, I promised him that I wouldn't let anyone take him away from me. That was when I still thought he was adopted." Then her eyes widened. "Wait. Do you think he remembers you?"

He took on a contemplative look. "It is unlikely that he will remember much of the past since he was so young. Perhaps you should refrain from informing him of my identity until we're more familiar with each other."

Exhaling heavily, she nodded. "Fine." Then she added in a whisper, "I can't believe that it's all real."

Sesshoumaru remarked blandly, "Indeed it is."

She frowned as a stray thought reached her. "You know… I met Inuyasha that day. Before I knew who he was."

"Hn. You were temping in his company." After a short pause, he added, "He did not recognize you?"

"I think he did. He was muttering something about a dream before Yura pulled him away." Sighing, she continued, "Then I saw Akiyama yesterday as well…" To her surprise, she saw Sesshoumaru tense. Blinking, she asked, "What's wrong?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed in obvious annoyance, but his voice was level when he said, "He might attempt to contact you."

"Oh?" Kagome frowned in confusion. Why would Akiyama contact her? Yes, they were sort of friends. But still, it had been five hundred years.

"And it would be prudent for you to resist his advances," he continued stonily.

Kagome gaped in disbelief, not sure if she had misheard Sesshoumaru. "Advances? What do you mean?" she squeaked. There was nothing of that sort between her and Akiyama. At least, not that she could remember. Maybe it happened later in the dreams.

"He wishes to court you," Sesshoumaru supplied bluntly.

"The last I remember, I was playing shogi with him," she muttered, still trying to figure out if what Sesshoumaru had said was possible. Glancing at the taiyoukai, she saw his lips tighten. Then something occurred to her. "How did Akiyama know I was the same person?"

"He recognized your school uniform."

Kagome's eyes widened in realization. Akiyama and Kouga had been the two demons who had seen her in her present day school uniform. When Sesshoumaru had met her for the first time, she had already changed into the furry leather outfit Kouga had given her. Weeks had passed after that before Akiyama returned with her uniform.

Sesshoumaru suddenly stood up, his attention fixed to the window.

"What?" she whispered anxiously, pushing herself off the floor. When she heard the sound of keys rattling in the lock, Kagome exhaled a sigh of relief. "It's only Mom and Jii-chan."

Right then, her mother's voice filtered through upstairs. "Kagome! Is Sachimaru alright with Souta?"

Rushing to the door, Kagome yanked it open to find her mother coming up the stairs. "Sachimaru is okay. He's right here."

Stepping into Sachimaru's room, her mother closed her eyes and exhaled. "Where did you find…" Her mother's voice trailed off as her gaze fixed to a point over Kagome's shoulders.

Kagome turned around to find Sesshoumaru standing beside Sachimaru's bed, his stoic expression betraying nothing as he regarded her mother silently.

"Uh… Mom… This is…" Before she could finish, her mother stepped up to Sesshoumaru with a warm smile.

"You must be Sachimaru's father. Sesshoumaru, right?" her mother exclaimed, reaching out to clasp his hand.

Kagome blinked as she watched the flicker of surprise in Sesshoumaru's golden orbs. Then he nodded at her mother. "Mrs. Higurashi," he greeted.

"It's nice to finally meet you," her mother said. Then her eyes went to the sleeping boy. "He's alright?"

"He is just exhausted," Sesshoumaru supplied quietly.

Her mother glanced back and forth between them. Then she said, "Come, let Sachimaru rest. We'll talk over dinner."

Kagome gulped. Her mother was inviting Sesshoumaru to dinner? Not knowing how to react, she glanced at Sesshoumaru, who seemed just as surprised. Would he accept?

Pausing, her mother turned to look over her shoulders. "Coming?"

Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru nodded wordlessly and only then, she released the breath she did not realize she was holding. The demon swept past her, following her mother. Blinking at the surrealistic situation, she trailed after them down the stairs.

Her grandfather was already seated at the dining table when they arrived. When he saw Sesshoumaru, the old man launched out of his chair, his expression twisted in what was meant to be a threatening look. Pulling out a handful of ofudas, he stomped around the table.

"Demon, BEGONE!" he hollered, his arm descending upon Sesshoumaru.

"Jii-chan!" Kagome protested, rushing forward in alarm. "No, don't!"

She did not know if she was trying to save her Jii-chan from the obviously irritated Sesshoumaru, or Sesshoumaru from her overzealous grandfather. Before she could intercept, Jii-chan succeeded in slapping an ofuda on Sesshoumaru's forehead. Kagome stopped dead in her tracks, watching with horror as the single ofuda flapped against Sesshoumaru's furrowed brows.

"Jii-chan…" Kagome groaned, rubbing her forehead as her mother shook her head in resignation.

Then the hilarity of the situation got to her and a bubble of laughter rose up her throat. She tried to stifle it, but when Sesshoumaru slowly peeled the ofuda away while wearing an expression of utter disgust, a sputter escaped from her lips. The sputter escalated into a full blown giggling fit when Sesshoumaru eyed the piece of paper with obvious distaste.

He then directed a warning glance at her.

"S-sorry…" she choked out, peeking at him through her lashes.

"Demon!" Jii-chan hollered again, preparing to launch another attack.

Before her grandfather could slap another piece of ofuda onto Sesshoumaru, her mother placed a hand on the old man's shoulders. "Come on, let's sit down for dinner," she coaxed.

Grumbling under his breath, her grandfather sat down, keeping a pair of suspicious eyes pinned on the taiyoukai. To Sesshoumaru's credit, he simply ignored the old man and waited until she sat down before taking the seat beside her.

Her mother served the food. And then, beaming at Sesshoumaru, she said, "Let's get to know each other better while we eat."

* * *

Sesshoumaru was unused to eating in this way with strangers, and had expected it to be awkward.

Much to his astonishment, the meal was tolerable. He only had to ignore the disturbing old man who was still directing wary looks at him while the miko's mother questioned him casually about himself. He understood the older woman's concerns. After all, in this day and age, bearing a child at the miko's age was far from the norm. However, the miko's mother had been courteous enough not to pry unnecessarily, and he had told her the pertinent facts.

"Your parents? Are they still around?" she inquired politely.

Lifting his eyes from the piece of meat on his rice, Sesshoumaru replied, "My sire had been deceased for centuries, even before I met Kagome in the past. I am not aware of my mother's location."

The older woman blinked in surprise. "You don't keep in contact with her?"

It would not do to suggest that he expected the miko to disregard her family now that he was present in her life. The moment the notion occurred to him, Sesshoumaru stilled. Although an independent part of him had decided that the miko would certainly be in his life, he still was not clear as to the nature of her role.

"Sesshoumaru-san?"

Pulled from his thoughts, Sesshoumaru returned his attention to the older woman. "My mother left when I was still a pup. We are not close as she never visited all these years."

"I see."

He glanced at the miko out of the corner of his eyes. She seemed absorbed in her food, but he could tell that she was listening silently to each and every word he uttered. It was only then that he realized that their younger selves had never spoken about such things in the past.

"If you don't mind me asking, Sesshoumaru-san. Why did she leave?" the miko's mother asked.

Much as he disliked speaking about such matters, he knew that they would not understand unless he explained. "The mating between my father and my mother was arranged for political purposes. It was said that once she had given birth to the heir of the Western Lands, she sought her freedom. Therefore, once I was born, my father decided that it was best to release her from the mating bond."

A choked sound came from the miko before she turned a pair of incredulous eyes towards him. "Who betrayed who?"

"I do not know."

It was at that moment that he heard a soft sound from upstairs. Sesshoumaru immediately tensed when he realized that it must be from the pup. Placing his chopsticks down beside his bowl, he glanced sideways at the miko.

"He is awake," he announced.

"Sachimaru?" Kagome asked, getting up.

"Hn."

Turning to Sesshoumaru, the miko's mother said, "You should see him now that he's awake.'

Yes, it was time for him to see his pup, Sesshoumaru decided as anticipation grew within him.

* * *

Kagome bit her lips. This was the moment she was worrying about, but she knew that it was time for father and son to meet. Not that she could stop Sesshoumaru anyway at this point. Considering his earlier responses, she felt a little foolish in keeping him away from his son. It was not the most mature thing to do.

"Let's get you two introduced," she finally said, giving Sesshoumaru a small smile.

He began to climb up the stairs before she could. She narrowed her eyes at his back as he strode purposefully to Sachimaru's room and opened the door. Still as arrogant as ever, she thought. Lengthening her steps, Kagome pushed past Sesshoumaru to see a stunned Sachimaru staring open-mouthed at his father.

"Sachimaru. This is…um…Sesshoumaru," she finished off lamely, not knowing how to break the news to the boy. Anyway, Sesshoumaru had said that they should wait.

Her son's eyes widened. "Sesshoumaru?" he whispered as he climbed off the bed. Then his eyes brightened, "Like the big bad demon lord Sesshoumaru in the-"

His words were instantly muffled by her hand. Glancing at Sesshoumaru, Kagome laughed nervously as she removed her hand from Sachimaru's mouth. Noting the questioning quirk of Sesshoumaru's brow, she ventured, "I told him a bedtime story about… umm… the Western Lands."

"Is that so?" His tone belied his amusement.

Struggling away from her hold, Sachimaru walked up to Sesshoumaru. "I saw you at the carnival."

"Indeed. Did you enjoy yourself?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly.

Kagome blinked. Sesshoumaru was at the carnival as well? And he had seen Sachimaru back then? If that was the case, he already knew about Sachimaru all this time, despite all her efforts to hide the boy.

Sachimaru brightened. "The fights were great!"

"They are simple performances. These demonic skills are common."

The boy frowned in thought before he gave Sesshoumaru a wary look. "Are you a demon?" their son asked bluntly.

Kagome sputtered. Then she snuck an uncertain glance up at Sesshoumaru. To her surprise, she found his eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Perhaps. Would you like to know?" the taiyoukai asked seriously.

Sachimaru gave him a contemplative look. "Yes. Because if you're a demon, I want to make sure that you don't hurt us."

"Hn. And why do you think demons would hurt you?"

Shrugging, Sachimaru replied, "Because demons have more strength than humans. And if they want to, they can hurt us." Then he paused in thought before adding, "But I suppose not all demons are the same."

Turning to her, Sesshoumaru remarked with a straight face, "That's true."

Kagome blinked wordlessly. It was not natural for a child that age to be so perceptive, she thought. She wondered if it was simply because of his demonic background.

"Are you my father?"

Both of them stilled. But before either of them could respond, Sachimaru continued in an uncompromising voice, "Even if you are, I'm not leaving Okaa-san."

Sesshoumaru knelt down so that their golden eyes were level. "You will not be forced to leave your mother."

A moment of silence passed as Sachimaru regarded him silently. Then the boy nodded, apparently satisfied with his father's proclamation.

Needing to ask Sachimaru something which had been on her mind since earlier, Kagome knelt down beside Sesshoumaru and pulled Sachimaru close to her. She was acutely aware that her thighs were touching Sesshoumaru's through the fabric of their clothes. The whole thing with both of them kneeling there in front of Sachimaru seemed so intimate.

"Yes, Okaa-san?" Sachimaru prompted, giving her a curious look.

"I'm going to ask you something. And I want you to tell me the truth, alright?" she began gently.

Sachimaru nodded once.

"What were you doing in the wellhouse?"

The boy immediately bit his bottom lip, his gaze lowering. Kagome grimaced, wondering if she should have let it rest for a while before broaching the subject. Sachimaru was probably still traumatized over the entire event.

To her surprise, Sesshoumaru interjected firmly, "You will not hide the truth from your mother and worry her unnecessarily."

Sachimaru's eyes shot up, blinking in shock. Then, turning to face Sesshoumaru, the boy took a deep breath. "I was just looking for you."

Sesshoumaru tensed visibly.

Kagome's jaw dropped. "You were looking for him?" she echoed numbly. "In the well?"

Turning to her, Sachimaru nodded. "I want to tell him to talk to the miko. Because the miko is not happy that he's ignoring her. And you said that the miko went to the Western Lands through the well, so I thought maybe our well can bring me there." His brows furrowed in displeasure as he continued, "But it didn't work."

Groaning helplessly, Kagome buried her face in her hands. She should have known better than to tell Sachimaru about her dreams. If he had hurt himself seriously, this would be all her fault. A quiet chuckle from her side made her look up, but when she did, Sesshoumaru's expression betrayed nothing.

"Was the miko truly upset?" the taiyoukai asked carefully.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome protested sharply. How dare he trick Sachimaru into telling him these sorts of stuff?

Without looking at her, Sachimaru's head bobbed. "She doesn't want to admit it, but she also doesn't want to be the one to talk to him first. So, since he was the one to betray the miko, I thought he should apologize to her."

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru sounded amused.

"That's enough, Sachimaru," Kagome quickly said. This was mortifying. Sachimaru had always had this knack of getting straight to the real issue. Who knew what else the boy would say to Sesshoumaru if she did not stop him? Placing a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder, she said, "Just promise me not to go near the wellhouse. I don't want you to fall in again."

"I promise," Sachimaru agreed meekly.

"Now, go downstairs for dinner," Kagome told him. "You haven't eaten for hours."

As Sachimaru bounded out of the room, seemingly unaffected by his earlier ordeal, Kagome went after him down the stairs, sagging slightly. After everything that had happened, followed by the relief of finding Sachimaru safe and sound, she felt really drained and would like nothing but to go to bed. Blinking, she tried to cover her yawn.

"You are tired."

Pausing at the base of the stairs, Kagome glanced up to find Sesshoumaru staring at her with an unreadable expression. "A little," she admitted.

His eyes flickered. "We will continue this discussion tomorrow."

Raising her brows in surprise, she echoed, "Tomorrow?"

"Hn."

He wanted to see them again so soon? Well, she supposed that since he already knew, there was no harm in it. "Uhm… Here? My shift doesn't end until six tomorrow."

"I will pick you and Sachimaru up at seven."

She watched as he headed in the direction of the kitchen, presumably to say goodbye to Sachimaru and the rest of the family. When she saw him again, he gave her a farewell nod before leaving the house.

He was so different, and yet the same as the Sesshoumaru she had known in the past. All she could remember was that he could not have cared less what happened to her back then. Even to the extent of not caring if she was interacting with Akiyama or was spending her entire time with anyone but the father of her child.

After saying goodnight to Sachimaru, she trudged up the stairs. She could not help but wonder what else she would dream of that night.

* * *

Kagome eyed Katsuo warily as they circled each other. It had been hard to maneuver with the additional barrier around her swollen stomach, but she had gotten used to it. Her friends had insisted on it, saying that the baby would be protected during the training. So she had allowed Katsuo to place the silvery barrier around her each time they trained.

Katsuo lashed out suddenly with his katana. Kagome ducked away and immediately swung around to strike the back of Katsuo's legs. The hanyou tried to launch out of the way, but Kagome shot out an arm to stop him. Her hand caught in the lapels of his kimono, pulling the purple fabric loose from his sash.

"Sorry!" she gasped, instantly letting go.

Katsuo chuckled as he straightened up. "At least Natsumi is not here to see it. She might get the wrong idea."

Kagome made a face. "Don't joke about that. It was awful when she was mad at me that time." Then she grinned, "So, Natsumi told me you gave her a courting gift."

Cheeks reddening, Katsuo muttered, "You're teasing me." Pulling his sash loose, he proceeded to fold his kimono over again.

Something glinted in the sunlight. "What is this?" Kagome asked as she reached out to touch the circular pendant hung from Katsuo's neck with a thick black woven string. It was glowing slightly pink and it reminded her own her own powers.

Katsuo stilled as he looked down. Fingering the pendant, he said, "My mother made it for me. It is a protection charm," he explained, his eyes misting over in remembrance.

Kagome smiled. "You must treasure it."

"She made it after she…" he paused slightly before he continued, "After she killed my father."

Expression softening, Kagome rubbed Katsuo's shoulders slowly. Katsuo had told her about his parents a long time ago, but even now, she could not help but think that the relationship between the miko and the inuyoukai was nothing short of tragic. Her lips twisted as she wondered if that would always be the case for any relationships between a miko and a demon.

Suddenly, the air around them sifted slightly, jolting her out of her musings. Then, just as abruptly, Akiyama materialized from thin air. Kagome gasped, taking a couple of steps back. She should be used to the elemental's mode of transport, considering that this was the second time he was visiting the Western Lands this month. His arrival was welcomed, at least as far as she was concerned. For the entirety of his last visit, she had sensed nothing sinister from him apart from the wish for her company, which allowed her to appreciate the person behind the lordly façade.

Katsuo bowed slightly. "Lord Akiyama," he greeted.

Inclining his head, Akiyama smiled. "It appears that the miko is doing well under your tutelage." Glancing at her, he added, "And you look as if you're enjoying yourself."

Kagome grinned. "Katsuo has a lot of patience, as you can probably tell."

Katsuo's expression remained blank, but she could see the gleam of mirth in his eyes. "One could only hope that she learnt something in all this time."

"Hey!" Kagome exclaimed indignantly.

"Are you finished with your lessons?" Akiyama asked, his eyes laughing at her. "I will return later if you haven't."

Kagome nodded. "It's okay. We're done. You said you were going to show me something today."

"That's right."

"Umm… Kagome…" Katsuo interjected uncertainly. "I'm not sure Lord Sesshoumaru would like it." He flicked a quick glance at the elemental. "I mean no disrespect to you, Lord Akiyama."

"I understand," Akiyama replied quietly. "But perhaps the choice is Kagome's?"

Laying a hand on Katsuo's arm, she gave him a reassuring smile. "It's alright, Katsuo. And anyway, it's not like Sesshoumaru would notice that I'm missing."

Katsuo suddenly focused on a point over her shoulders. "But someone else would," the general muttered darkly.

She turned around to find Inuyasha stalking towards them, his arms folded over his chest. "Inuyasha!" she greeted.

Not responding to her, the white haired hanyou simply glared at the other two males. "What is this? Don't the two of you have anything better to do?" he asked brusquely.

Katsuo immediately bristled in indignance, while Akiyama simply regarded Inuyasha silently. Rolling her eyes, Kagome snapped, "Honestly, Inuyasha. Can't you be civil to them for once?"

"Keh!" Then nudging towards the castle, he continued, "Let's go."

Kagome dug her heels in. "Wait, Inuyasha. I'm going somewhere with Akiyama."

A brief moment passed before Inuyasha exploded, "What? Again?!" Swinging around to face Akiyama, Inuyasha scowled. "Look, I don't care if you want to visit Sesshoumaru every other week, but you can't keep disappearing with her!"

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Kagome retorted, "Look, nothing happened the last time, alright. So quit worrying."

"I'm not worried!" Inuyasha denied vehemently, crossing his arms over his chest.

She gave him a stony look. "Good! I'll see you later then."

"You're not going anywhere!" Inuyasha yelled.

Akiyama stepped forward the moment Katsuo snarled, "I thought I told you not to speak to her like that!" The general's youki was swirling around him angrily.

"And how many times must I tell you that I'll talk to her however I like?" Inuyasha spat rudely.

Katsuo's eyes glittered. "She is the mother of the Western heir and should be treated with respect."

"Keh! The mother of that bastard's brat?"

"You will cease such disrespect towards our lord!" Katsuo gritted out heatedly.

"Why you…"

"Silence." Akiyama's quiet tone was authoritative.

And it had the desired effect of shutting up both Inuyasha and Katsuo, Kagome thought with relief. Really, the way the two half demons carried on was nothing short of childish. No doubt like her, Akiyama was developing a twitch from all that bickering.

Slowly, but firmly, Akiyama announced, "The miko will come with me and she will return safe and unharmed in a short while."

Kagome gasped as she felt Akiyama's arms wrapping around her.

Then she felt herself growing lighter and lighter as she blended into the air.

* * *

The moment Inuyasha crashed into his study, Sesshoumaru closed his eyes in irritation. Truly, Inuyasha needed to improve his manners. It was absurd how someone could be so uncouth.

"You need to do something about that idiot, Sesshoumaru!" the hanyou snarled as he stalked up to the low table.

Glancing up from his scroll with a frown etched upon his brow, Sesshoumaru asked impatiently, "Is this something important, Inuyasha?"

"Depends on if you think Kagome is important," Inuyasha retorted.

Sesshoumaru's hands twitched. "What of the miko?" he gritted out.

"Akiyama took off with her."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed into slits. Not only Akiyama had the audacity to turn up at the Western Lands twice in quick succession, the elemental was also complicating matters with the miko. Akiyama's obsession with her bordered on unacceptable. He wondered if the elemental had an ulterior motive for his actions.

"Your task was to watch over the miko and you _allowed_ her to leave with the Northern Lord?" Sesshoumaru gritted out.

Inuyasha's eyes bulged. "You think it was easy to stop him? He's just as bad as you are!"

"Hn." As far as dominance was concerned, Akiyama certainly ranked higher than his hanyou brother. How unfortunate.

Inuyasha exhaled heavily as he ran a hand over the back of his neck. "And this is not the first time either. I can't stop him if Kagome wants to go with him."

This was not the first time? The elemental had only been around for a few days during his first visit, in addition to the last three days and he had already succeeded in gaining the miko's affections? The notion incensed Sesshoumaru, making him grit his teeth in annoyance.

The urge to track down Akiyama overwhelmed him, but Sesshoumaru knew that such an action would be pointless. The demon's true form was water and he could take the shape of any water-based form. It also meant that the demon's scent was one of water, and was indistinct enough to make it difficult for anyone to track him.

Turning to Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru instructed coldly, "Inform me when they return."

Inuyasha snorted. "I'm not going near that idiot again. You can sniff Kagome out when he brings her back." Spinning around, he walked out of the study.

Sesshoumaru growled. Would he have no peace? Would he never be freed from the miko?

Even through she was not speaking to him, he could still feel her presence in everything that was happening in the castle. The cook had requested more funding to prepare more nutritious food to suit the miko's condition, Katsuo had rearranged his the warriors' training schedule such that he could train the miko each morning and Natsumi tended to be unavailable in the evenings, presumably because she was keeping the miko company. Even Jaken insisted on pandering to the miko's whims.

It was intolerable.

What irked him most was their silence. Instinct told him that he should approach her, but he would not lower himself to do so.

Lost in his musings, Sesshoumaru only realized that evening was already approaching when he sensed the miko's presence. Standing up, he went outside, following the scent of the miko. Then he saw her standing beside the Northern Lord, giggling in the most inappropriate manner about something inane.

Both of them looked up when he approached.

The miko gave him a troubled glance before she quickly looked away. Sesshoumaru's lips thinned in annoyance. She would not even look at him. Silently, he continued to watch as Akiyama suggested for the miko to leave them to their conversation. The miko seemed reluctant at first, and then she relented and walked towards the castle.

Akiyama made his way across the grass, his steps steady. When he reached, he inclined his head. "Is something the matter, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"You will cease from taking the miko with you," Sesshoumaru bit out.

"I only wish to speak to the miko in private." Akiyama paused momentarily before he continued, "Lord Inuyasha, however, refused to comply with my _request_."

"And what did you do then?"

"I simply transformed with her."

Sesshoumaru gave Akiyama a sharp look. "You took your true form with her?"

"I assure you that she is safe, Lord Sesshoumaru," Akiyama said dryly. "Or do you doubt my control over my own strength?"

"This Sesshoumaru is concerned for the miko's…condition," he bit out tightly.

Akiyama gazed at him thoughtfully, and then he said slowly, "I will return to the north shortly. However, I intend to visit the miko again."

Sesshoumaru tamped down the urge to release his poison on the elemental. "Surely you have more important matters to attend to."

Akiyama raised a brow. "This, too, is an important matter to me, Sesshoumaru. However, there is something I must ask. Am I right in assuming that the miko is now free?"

Someone must have told the elemental, Sesshoumaru surmised. Denying would be pointless. "She is no longer bound to serve the Western Lands."

"By releasing her, you have effectively discarded my gift to seal our alliance," Akiyama pointed out evenly, his expression unreadable. "Am I to assume that you no longer wish for us to be allies?"

Sesshoumaru tensed. He could not refute the Northern lord's accusation. "It was not intended as an insult, Lord Akiyama. The miko desires her independence."

Akiyama smiled wryly. "Yes, the miko is certainly strong-willed. A very admirable trait in such a female."

A very admirable trait? Sesshoumaru frowned inwardly. It was that particular trait of hers that irked him the most. However, he had to admit that it was unheard of for a female to stand up to him, let alone more than once. Yes, perhaps Akiyama was right. In some ways, the miko could be considered admirable.

"It is just as well that you've released her. You see, I intend to court her."

Sesshoumaru felt his blood run cold.

"I gather that you have no objection, seeing that you have no intention of mating her?"

"Hn."

Sesshoumaru knew that he should not have any objection. Therefore, it was rather puzzling that he wished for nothing more than for the elemental to retract his words. The notion of the miko in the arms of the elemental was simply distasteful. His instincts were clamoring for him to destroy the competition.

But what competition? He had no wish to mate the miko, but only to ensure that the inuyoukai pup remained in the Western Lands. And the miko had been released, he reiterated to himself.

Hardening his gaze, Sesshoumaru stipulated, "The miko will remain under the protection of the Western Lands until the pup is born."

"That is wise, Lord Sesshoumaru."

The Northern Lord was mocking him, Sesshoumaru thought irritably. "Hn."

"You need not worry. I will not encourage the miko to leave the Western Lands until the pup is weaned."

Perhaps, by that time, the miko would have settled enough in the Western Lands such that she would not wish to leave. Judging from her closeness with Katsuo and the rest of his servants, Sesshoumaru doubted that she would persist in such a pointless endeavor, regardless of whatever Akiyama offered.

Yes, the miko would eventually come to her senses.

* * *

No.

Sesshoumaru clenched his hands into fists, growling at the idiocy of his past self as the most recent flashes of the past presented themselves.

So this was how Akiyama had ended up courting the miko. His past self had foolishly allowed it, never taking into account that the miko would come to accept it. For she must have accepted, if the elemental's confidence was any indication.

He stiffened his spine. This had all happened in the past. Now, in the present, he would ensure that this event would not occur. After all, he had made contact with his son and the miko had agreed for them to meet again.

But before he indulged in personal matters, he needed to address the present situation with the demonic issues which was quickly becoming uncontrollable.

It had only come to his attention this morning that there were a few more outbreaks of demonic violence in various parts of Japan, which had occurred at the same time as the one affecting Akiyama's underlings. Most of these, however, had been caught in time. Unfortunately, enough incidents had leaked, reaching the ears of the mass public. Although Inuyasha had used the resources at IY Media and Entertainment to salvage whatever he could of the bad situation, it had not been enough.

The speculations were already running rife.

Some said that those fighting were simply on steroids, thus explaining their superhuman strength. However, there were those who suspected something closer to the truth. They suspected the existence of demons. It did not help that some humans had begun to come forward with their ancestors' journals, chronicling historic events which involved demonic activities few hundred years ago.

Mindful of the growing urgency of the situation, he had given the order to locate and apprehend Naraku soon after he had returned from the miko's home. Almost a whole day had passed without any sighting of the hanyou, Sesshoumaru thought with a grimace. However, Shin had managed to capture one of Naraku's underling, the wind sorceress called Kagura a few hours ago.

The wind sorceress was currently incarcerated in one of the holding cells in the basement, still unconscious from the injuries she had received during the fight. Sesshoumaru had given Shin the instruction to proceed with the interrogation once Kagura was able to speak.

A message blinked on the screen of his laptop. When he accessed it with his secure password, a familiar insignia flashed in the corner. A feeling of foreboding immediately washed over him.

The message was from one of the foreign demon lords in China. It was brief and to the point.

"Lord of Western Japan," it read. "It has come to our attention that the situation in Japan could potentially be damaging to our current status. We require reassurance that it is under control."

Sesshoumaru bit back a sigh of annoyance. It was unavoidable. A meeting between the demon lords was necessary to discuss this matter.

Pressing on the button on the intercom, he said, "Natsumi, summon Katsuo."

He knew that Takeo was out of the country, but Akiyama and Kouga should be able to attend quite easily. The foreign demon lords needed to attend as well. Niu Mo Wang, the Chinese bull demon lord, would definitely wish to be present considering that he was the one who had sent the message. Others such as the Norwegian demonesses known as Alrunes, the French banshee Melusina, the Western demon king Balam and the Yeti of the Himalayas would be invited as well. However, it was up to them to decide if this incident was severe enough to warrant their concern.

The meeting would need to be situated in one of the private islands, for the gathering of powerful demon lords amidst humans could potentially be risky. Particularly when the topic was centered around something so controversial.

There was a delicate balance between those demons who wished their presence to be known and those who wished to retain the secrecy of their identity. At the moment, majority of them wished for their identity to remain cloaked. However, there were also those like Naraku who wished for nothing more than to display their demonic powers.

At the quiet taps on the door, Sesshoumaru called for Katsuo to enter. As he stepped into the office, the inuyoukai seemed to having difficulty meeting his eyes. Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. It was not difficult to guess the reason behind Katsuo's odd behavior. No doubt Katsuo was also experiencing dreams of the past and it was troubling him. However, this was not the appropriate time to discuss such matters.

"Mr. Taishou? You asked for me?"

"Call a conference with the other lords. Do it discreetly."

Katsuo's eyes widened a fraction. Then he nodded. "In the usual island?"

"Hn."

When Katsuo left the room, Sesshoumaru glanced at his watch. It was half past six.

It was time to meet the miko and his pup.

* * *

t.b.c.

…

A/N: That's it for now. Hope you've enjoyed that… and the mild cliffhanger-less ending, (grins). Anyway, please review if you can. Thanks!


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing this story. Apologies for not writing individual responses this time round, but work has been busy.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 17**

Sesshoumaru did not say where they were going, Kagome thought anxiously. Riffling through her clothes, she finally located a beige blouse and matching skirt, deciding that it would be fine for most places. She wondered if she should wake Sachimaru up now. Not knowing what Sesshoumaru had planned for them, the boy had been told to rest because she did not want him to be overtired.

Kagome groaned as she threw herself on her bed. She was nervous, and she knew it. Yesterday, she had been so frantic with Sachimaru missing that she did not have time to think when the truth had come out in the open. But now that she thought over it, she could not help but feel apprehensive. Where would they go from here? Would Sesshoumaru insist that Sachimaru went with him?

Or would the taiyoukai be happy with regular visits?

The moments the thought crossed her mind, Kagome had to stifle a snort. It was a ridiculous idea. As if someone like Sesshoumaru would settle for visits. His current interest in Sachimaru was a far cry from what she remembered from the past. He probably wanted Sachimaru permanently in his home now.

But where did that leave her?

She sighed heavily as she raised a hand to rub her brow. This question was one she had asked herself five hundred years ago and as of yet, she did not have the answer.

Kagome jumped up from her bed when her mother's voice filtered up the stairs. "Kagome! Your friend is here to see you."

Sesshoumaru was early, was the first thought that crossed Kagome's mind. Then she frowned when she realized that her mother had only referred to the visitor as a friend. Surely her mother would have said it was Sesshoumaru if it was him downstairs.

"Kagome!"

"Coming, Mom!" she finally replied, dropping the clothes onto the bed.

Brushing her hair out of her face, she descended the stairs, wondering who it could be. When she reached the base of the stairs and turned the corner into the living room, she saw him.

For a moment, she could only stare wordlessly as the blue haired demon came into focus. Aside from his modern black clothes and the lack of the waterdrop which was part of his demonic heritage, he looked just the same as before,

Then she broke out of her stupor.

"Akiyama!" she exclaimed, bursting into a smile as she took a few steps towards him. Only then did she remember Sesshoumaru's warning. Her enthusiasm instantly dimmed. Then she bristled when she realized what she had done. She really should not allow Sesshoumaru to affect her so much.

The elemental gave her a small smile. "It is gratifying to know that you remember me." His face took on a wry expression before he added knowingly, "I suppose Sesshoumaru has warned you off me."

Her lips twitched at his words. He was blunt at times and sneakily manipulative at others, but always unerringly perceptive. "I wonder how you know," she retorted lightly. Gesturing to the couch, she said, "Please have a seat. Do you want anything to drink?"

"No, I just wanted to see you."

She bit her lips, feeling rather awkward when she remembered the dream last night where Akiyama had openly declared his intentions. And from what she could tell, her younger self had been somewhat attracted to the elemental, considering how she had responded then. Not that it was unexpected, considering the circumstances.

Once Akiyama sat down, he tilted his head questioningly. "So…" he said as he gazed into her eyes. "How long have you been back?"

Understanding what he meant, she replied, "Three years."

"I would have missed you these five hundred years if I'd known of your existence," he remarked casually.

Kagome could not help but grin. "Did I fall for you back then? Because you're doing an awful job of it right now."

He chuckled. "It's better that you remember that particular an event on your own."

"Oh, come on, Akiyama," she cajoled. She was quite curious because it looked like his dreams had progressed much further than hers or Sesshoumaru's. It would be interesting to find out what had happened next. "What harm could it do?"

Shaking his head, he said, "I challenged Sesshoumaru this time round and I don't want the past to affect your decisions."

"I'll remember sooner or later," she mumbled as Akiyama's words played in his mind. Sesshoumaru had said nothing about Akiyama's challenge. Did warning her off Akiyama mean that he was trying to court her? What should she do if that was the case?

"Yes, you will remember, but nor for a while. In the meantime, I have every intention of pursuing you," Akiyama declared good-naturedly.

Kagome laughed. His directness was oddly refreshing. "I think you've gotten worse over the years. You were a little more subtle at that time."

"It's due to the lack of your calming influence, Kagome," he rebutted swiftly.

Snorting inelegantly, she retorted, "Are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else?"

"Such a thing is impossible. You are too different from others."

Before she could reply, Akiyama's expression turned hard as he stared past her shoulders.

* * *

From the sudden tension in Akiyama's form, Sesshoumaru knew that his presence had been detected. It was just as well, since he did not know how long more he could suffer through their revolting flirtation. The ease in which the miko and the elemental had conversed left a sour taste in his mouth. 

Inhaling deeply, Sesshoumaru willed himself to unclench his fists before he stepped out of the shadows into the direct sight of the miko and the elemental. Regardless of how true it was, it would not do to allow Akiyama to witness his fury. Such a thing would only be taken as a weakness, a sign that he feared to lose this battle to the elemental.

"Sesshoumaru!" the miko exclaimed, her eyes widening.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head at the elemental before turning his attention to the miko. "Are you prepared?" he asked, keeping his tone measured.

She glanced down at herself. "Oh…"

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened in annoyance. The look she was wearing could only be described as guilt. Was she so absorbed with Akiyama that she had forgotten that he was coming? Had she forgotten what he had said to her just yesterday? Had she made her choice even before he was given an opportunity to show her what he could offer?

What exactly _was_ it that he was planning to offer her?

While the miko's countenance remained troubled, Sesshoumaru pinned his gaze upon Akiyama, whose features bore the slightest hint of satisfaction. The air crackled with tension. Words were not needed. The mutual challenge was clear in the other demon's eyes.

Then miko finally looked up, glancing back and forth between them warily. "I'll go change," she murmured.

Sesshoumaru did not remove his eyes from the elemental even after the miko's footsteps had faded away. Akiyama was the one who finally broke the silence.

"You're taking her out?" the elemental asked.

"Hn."

"That is generous of you."

"Do not mock me, Akiyama," Sesshoumaru gritted out tightly.

A smirk crossed the elemental's lips. "I am simply stating a fact, Sesshoumaru."

"You will do well to refrain from interfering in such matters, facts or not."

"Surely I'm allowed to express my opinions."

Sesshoumaru had had enough. Allies or not, he did not wish to be manipulated by the elemental. "You may express as you wish, but I will not tolerate your presence when it concerns the miko. Do so at the risk of dissolving our alliance, Akiyama," he warned harshly.

The elemental was taken aback. "I see," he said contemplatively. "This is a personal matter, but if you find it necessary to involve our alliance, then so be it."

"Hn."

Akiyama's expression hardened. "Still, you must understand that I have invested some… feelings in this. And I will pursue her, regardless of your threats."

Sesshoumaru had not expected the elemental to retreat. However, he had underestimated Akiyama's drive to obtain the miko, considering that the elemental was willing to risk the dissolution of their alliance. Their courting in the past must have progressed far judging by Akiyama's responses.

It was then that Sesshoumaru heard the sound of a pair of feet padding rapidly down the stairs. Soon, Sachimaru appeared before him, gasping for breath. Sesshoumaru's anger evaporated, only to be replaced by warmth towards his pup.

"Okaa-san said you are here, so I came down to keep you company," Sachimaru chirped.

Sesshoumaru held out a hand. "Come here."

The pup ran up to him and then instantly grabbed his hand tightly. Pleased with the pup's obedience, Sesshoumaru lifted his eyes to pin a pointed look at the elemental. The miko would make her own choice, but she would take into account her pup's wishes, he told Akiyama wordlessly.

Blue eyes flickering, Akiyama glanced down at Sachimaru. "Sachimaru."

Blinking, the pup gave the elemental a curious look. "Who are you?"

"You do not remember me?"

Akiyama sounded disappointed, much to Sesshoumaru's satisfaction. However, the smirk that had begun to form on Sesshoumaru's lips instantly fled when Sachimaru released his hand to step towards the elemental.

"But you seem familiar," the pup added thoughtfully.

Akiyama nodded at Sachimaru. "It is unsurprising, for we happen to share a certain skill."

The pup's eyes rounded with curiosity. "What skill?"

An enigmatic smile crossed Akiyama's lips. "Your mother will tell you in time."

What skills were Akiyama referring to? Had he somehow interfered with the pup in the past? Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth, but before he could call the pup back to him, the miko stepped into the living room.

"I'm ready," she announced, casting hesitant looks at both him and the elemental.

Sachimaru brightened. "We can go now!"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru replied.

And it would be wise for them to do so before he gave in to the temptation to sink his claws into the elemental's flesh. Taking the pup's hand in his, Sesshoumaru began to make his way to the door only to pause when Akiyama's hands landed on the miko's arm. Sesshoumaru's eyes immediately narrowed, a warning which the elemental blatantly ignored.

"I bid you farewell, Kagome. And hope that you will have a pleasant evening."

The miko reached up to squeeze the elemental's hand. "Thank you, Akiyama."

The elemental smiled. "We will meet again."

Not if he could help it, Sesshoumaru swore.

* * *

It had been horribly awkward when Sesshoumaru had walked in on her and Akiyama. Since then, Sesshoumaru had not spoken much to her, but it did not seem to affect his warmth towards Sachimaru, who was seated at the back of the car, watching a video on a small screen. 

Sesshoumaru was so quiet that it was beginning to make her really uncomfortable. Glancing sideways at the taiyoukai's profile, she wondered what he was thinking. Her eyes traced over his aristocratic features, realizing that his looks had not changed a bit over all these centuries, apart from the lack of his demonic markings.

She glanced down at her lap, noticing that the hem of her blouse was hopelessly crumpled from all her fiddling. Why was she so nervous around him? Akiyama never had such an effect on her. Maybe it was because she knew what Akiyama was after, which was more than what she could say for the taiyoukai beside her.

"Is something troubling you, Miko?"

Kagome quickly shook her head and forced out a laugh. "Of course not."

She saw him glance at her out of the corner of his eyes. "Perhaps it is time for us to be honest with each other."

Kagome averted her gaze as a scowl slowly made its way to her face. How could he expect her to do such a thing when he was the one who had clammed up? Then she took a deep breath, deciding that someone should take the first step. But how should she voice the question without sounding as if she was asking something from him? Or making it sound as if she did not want him to see Sachimaru?

Her son saved her from having to reply to Sesshoumaru. "Where are we going?" Sachimaru asked, sticking his head between her and Sesshoumaru.

"To my home," Sesshoumaru replied.

Sachimaru brightened. "We're going to the castle? The one with the hotsprings in the courtyard?"

Kagome saw Sesshoumaru's lips twitch with amusement as he said, "No, we're not going there today. The castle is currently under repair."

"It's still around?" Kagome gasped. "After so many years?"

"The land around the castle remains private, and it is not far from Kyoto. It will be habitable once the refurbishment is complete. The place where I am staying now serves only as a temporary home."

"Can I see it? The castle, I mean?" Sachimaru asked. "Is it like the one in Okaa-san's stories?"

Suppressing a groan, Kagome pinched the bridge of her nose. She really, really shouldn't have told Sachimaru all those stories. If only she had known back then that those dreams were actual memories, she would not have started it.

"I suspect they might be one and the same, Sachimaru," Sesshoumaru replied smoothly. "And yes, you and your mother will see it one day."

"A trip! When?" Sachimaru enthused, practically shaking with excitement.

Kagome blinked. That would mean that all three of them would be together, alone. Kagome snuck an uncertain glance at Sesshoumaru, wondering what he meant by the fact that both of them would see it one day. Sesshoumaru took his eyes off the road when the car stopped at a traffic light and turned to Sachimaru. Kagome felt her breath hitch as two pairs of golden eyes met.

"I will arrange it once the refurbishment work is complete," he told the boy.

Sachimaru beamed. "Thank you!"

Kagome slumped back in her seat, realizing that her agreement was not required. Sesshoumaru and Sachimaru had only been reunited for one day and they were already excluding her. Scowling, she crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance.

Caught up in her thoughts, she paid no attention to the rest of the drive until they finally pulled up to a pair of massive gates, reminiscent of the one she had seen at Rin's farm. As if he was expected, the gates swung open and Sesshoumaru guided the car along the gravel driveway. Kagome's eyes widened as a large mansion loomed up in front of her.

"It's huge," she remarked, noting the extensive grounds around it.

* * *

Sesshoumaru glanced briefly at the miko as he parked the car in front of the mansion and stepped out. She appeared to be surprised by the size of the mansion. 

"It is necessary for our privacy," Sesshoumaru said as he opened the passenger door. "Come," he invited, extending his hand towards her.

She gave him a hesitant smile before placing her hand in his. When she swung her legs out of the car, Sesshoumaru's gaze was immediately drawn to her long, slender limbs as her skirt hitched up her thighs. Unbidden, the memory how just how those limbs had wrapped around his waist returned to him in a flash. Reflexively, his fingers tightened on her hand.

That small action was enough to alert the miko of the direction of his gaze.

Gasping, she immediately pulled the hem of her skirt down before turning a pair of flashing brown eyes at him. "You… You… What are you looking at?" she finally hissed.

He quirked a brow. "Nothing that you're not freely displaying, Miko."

Her lips parted in shock. Then she snatched her hand back from him. "Don't look," she bit out irritably.

For the same of peace, Sesshoumaru decided that it might be wise to heed the miko's warning. After all, it would not do to alienate her, or give her reason to think that Akiyama was preferable.

Stepping around him, she opened the back seat to let Sachimaru out and then immediately held the pup's hands. Sesshoumaru could tell from the look on the pup's face that he longed to explore the grounds. Perhaps Jaken would show Sachimaru around later.

As the three of them stepped up to the mansion, the door swung open.

"Jaken?" the miko exclaimed in astonishment.

"M-My Lady…" Jaken stuttered, his eyes growing impossibly large. Then he turned to Sachimaru. "M-Master Sachimaru?"

"You remember!" Grinning, the miko bent down to wrap a hug around the tiny body, ignoring the small demon's astounded squawk. "It's nice to see you again!"

"B-But…"

Sesshoumaru's voice halted the little demon. "Jaken."

Blinking quickly, Jaken straightened and turned his attention to him. "Yes, My Lord?"

"Dinner?"

Jaken nodded, then turned to look at her. The gleam of happiness in his round eyes told Sesshoumaru that his retainer had missed her.

"Follow me, My Lady, Master Sachimaru…"

Jaken led them towards the dining hall, where the cutleries and chinaware were already arranged on a large oval table in the middle of the room. Dinner was soon served with its usual efficiency by his staff, who unsurprisingly, recognized the miko as well. A rush of exclamations and embraces instantly ensued, once again reminding Sesshoumaru that his servants were rather fond of the miko and apparently, the pup.

Finally, it was Jaken who ushered everyone back to their task, much to Sesshoumaru's approval.

Dinner was a lively affair with Sachimaru talking continuously about his games and his bokken practice. The miko gave him amused glances each time the pup exaggerated. She had evidently forgotten her earlier annoyance with him. And for that, he was relieved.

Sesshoumaru could not dismiss the feeling of contentment which flowed though him as dinner progressed. As if by an unspoken agreement, he and the miko not speak of the past. It was better that way, he decided, considering their less than pleasant relationship then. Even though the miko had spoken of it to their son in the form of stories, he was not certain he wanted Sachimaru to hear the real, uncensored details. That discussion could wait until he and the miko were alone.

When he noticed that everyone had finished their food, Sesshoumaru placed his chopsticks down beside his bowl. Turning to Sachimaru, he asked, "Do you wish to explore the grounds?"

The pup's eyes lit up. "Really? Can I?"

The miko gave him a doubtful look. "Are you sure, Sesshoumaru? He tends to get a little… overexcited."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head. "Sachimaru will not be alone. Jaken will accompany him."

With a squeal of delight, the pup jumped off his seat and ran directly towards the alarmed toad demon. "You want to play a game?"

"My Lord?" Jaken squawked, giving Sesshoumaru a beseeching glance as he backed away from Sachimaru. "Master Sachimaru…"

"You will humor the pup," Sesshoumaru intoned levelly. Then he added, "Within reason."

Jaken gulped. And then his eyes widened as Sachimaru launched forward. Without hesitation, his retainer began to run while Sachimaru chased after him gleefully.

"No… not again!" Jaken yelled as he and Sachimaru disappeared from sight.

Sesshoumaru could feel his lips twitching in amusement as the miko giggled. He wished that he could remember what the pup was like when he was younger, but his dreams refused to cooperate. Still, he was certain that in time, the memories would return. Discussing it with the miko might speed it up.

Then they needed to agree on a way to tell Sachimaru the truth.

"Perhaps he should know that he's a demon," Sesshoumaru mused.

The miko made a face. "You know, we should have suspected something long time ago, even before the dreams. He's too strong to be human."

Indeed, he thought.

* * *

The smirk which graced Sesshoumaru's lips could only be described as smug. She guessed he had the right to be proud of his son, but then again, Sesshoumaru had not had any first hand experience with Sachimaru. Not in the present time anyway. 

Scowling at him, she pointed out, "Wait until it's your turn to discipline him."

Then, realizing what she had just said, Kagome slapped a hand to her mouth. She had basically implied that she expected Sesshoumaru to be involved from then onwards. But he had not said anything to that effect. Maybe she had misjudged things. What if he didn't want to? After five hundred years, he probably already had a mate somewhere. Was that why he had not said much to her yesterday?

"Say…" she began uncomfortably. "Do you have a mate?"

He quirked an elegant brow.

"It's just that… you know… From what I could remember, I thought you'd want to be a part of Sachimaru's life. But if you don't…" she trailed off uncertainly.

"In time, Sachimaru will know me as his father," Sesshoumaru declared firmly. Then he continued in a quieter voice, "And I'm not mated."

She blinked. "You didn't mate again?"

"No." His tone was clipped.

"Oh." Her brows furrowed. That was a long time to be alone. "Five hundred years, Sesshoumaru?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not require the company of a female," he declared haughtily.

She shook her head, a wry smile creeping up on her lips. He was as arrogant as ever. "If we didn't produce Sachimaru together, I would have read that the wrong way." Then she frowned thoughtfully. "You didn't…um…change your preference, did you?"

He glanced at her sharply. "What exactly are you implying, Miko?" he asked tightly.

She quickly looked away. "Nothing."

After a moment of silence, he remarked quietly, "It is possible to recall the past without the dreams."

"How?"

"You simply need to will yourself to do so." Then his brows furrowed slightly. "Though it seems to appear in a rather fragmented manner."

"Oh." If that was the case, she could try it to see if she could remember more. Maybe only she and Sachimaru got home, she would try it. "I'll try it when I get home."

"You will attempt it now."

She bristled at his imperious tone. "Don't order me around, Sesshoumaru. I'm not your servant."

His lips tightened, but after a while, he inclined his head once. "It was not my intention to imply such a thing."

Her eyes widened. He actually conceded, she thought. That was as close to an apology as she could get from Sesshoumaru. In the past, he would never back down from something like this. Perhaps he had really changed. She supposed she should meet him halfway then.

"It's late. Sachimaru needs to go to bed soon," she ventured. "I guess when Sachimaru is in bed, we can sit together while I try to recall my memories."

He gave her a nod. "Very well. We will return to the shrine."

It would have taken her a long time locate Sachimaru in the vast grounds, but with Sesshoumaru's ears, they had been able to find the boy relatively painlessly. Soon, all three of them were seated in the car, returning to the shrine.

Her grandfather was in the living room watching television when they finally arrived. Souta was still on his camping trip, having been told that Sachimaru was fine. A while later, her mother went upstairs with Sachimaru, leaving them with a freshly brewed pot of tea in the kitchen.

Which left her and Sesshoumaru staring at each other across the dining table.

Thinking back to their conversation earlier, she said uncertainly, "I don't know if I can force the memories to return, Sesshoumaru."

"It can be done."

She sighed, twisting the tea cup around back and forth on the table. "I guess I should try…"

"What was the last dream you remember, Miko?"

Akiyama's imagine slowly materialized in her mind. They were seated beside each other on the wooden platform outside her room, facing the courtyard.

"Akiyama…" she muttered, noticing how Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at the mention of that name. She quickly said, "Look, we don't have to do this today."

"Tell me what you remember," he instructed stonily. "What was Akiyama doing?"

She was not sure that this was a good idea. The last thing she needed was for Sesshoumaru to blow up at further mention of the Northern Lord. Obviously, nothing had changed in that aspect over the last five hundred years, especially considering how the two demons had reacted to each other earlier.

"Miko…"

She shrugged in resignation. "Alright. We were sitting outside my room, just talking."

"What was the conversation about?"

"I'm not sure you want to know."

"I do, and you will tell me. It is the only way to find out the reason behind this memory loss."

She supposed it made sense. Taking a deep breath, she began. "Do you remember the first time Akiyama visited since I got pregnant?"

A look of distaste came over his expression. "Yes. He stayed a few days, and was in your company for a significant amount of time."

Kagome laughed weakly. He did not sound pleased at all. Surprise, surprise… "Yeah. Those visits kind of continued, right? Well, on the last day of one of his visits, he came to me when I just got back from watching Katsuo train. As usual, Inuyasha left once Akiyama appeared."

"Watching the warriors train was something I specifically forbidden you to do," Sesshoumaru pointed out flatly.

Rolling her eyes, she retorted, "You told me that _before_ we mated, and you freed me, remember? What's wrong with me watching them train, anyway? It's not like I have anything else to do. And it was nice to see all the different moves."

Sesshoumaru's expression displayed his disapproval. "You should have been resting. Your condition required it."

"I was sitting down, Sesshoumaru," she said dryly.

"Hn."

"So…" She frowned, trying to remember what she had been saying.

"The Northern Lord visited you. In your chambers," Sesshoumaru prompted impatiently.

Why must Sesshoumaru make it sound as if Akiyama was sitting on her futon? "We were sitting outside on the platform, alright!" she snapped irritably.

The corner of his lips tightened. "Continue…"

* * *

Turning to give the elemental beside her a curious look, she remarked, "Say, that scent masking you were talking about. Can you teach me?" 

"I do not possess such knowledge, Miko. The ways of the miko are foreign to me."

Kagome slumped. So much for learning how to disguise her scent, she muttered inwardly. She supposed Katsuo might know how to do it if Akiyama's method was different. "So what if you want to mask your scent? What do you do then?"

Akiyama smiled. "It's not difficult for me."

"But you're not going to tell me."

"Listen, Kagome. It is not a wise idea to attempt escape in your condition. Furthermore, I gave my word to Lord Sesshoumaru that I would not encourage you to leave the Western Lands."

She rolled her eyes. "Since when you care what Sesshoumaru thinks?"

"I have given my word, Kagome," he said in a gentle, but uncompromising tone. Reaching into the folds of his kimono, he pulled out a small package. Holding her gaze, he extended the package out to her. "I have something for you."

"This can't be another piece of my old clothing, right?" she joked, remembering how he had pulled out her school uniform from his kimono many months ago.

The Northern Lord shook his head. "It is simply a gift so that you will remember me until we meet again."

Kagome blinked in surprise, her outstretched arm frozen mid motion. It sounded almost like Akiyama was flirting with her.

"Are you not going to accept this gift?" he prompted quietly.

She gazed at the package. Apart from Katsuo and Natsumi, Akiyama was the only other person who had attempted to give her something. It would be rude to refuse, she realized. Then, taking a deep breath, she reached out to take it. "Thank you," she whispered as she brought it close to her. She could feel a hard box underneath the soft wrapping.

"Open it."

What if she did not like it and her face showed?

"Kagome… Humor me and open it."

Slowly, she peeled apart the soft wrapping to reveal a wooden box with a lid. Wondering what it could be, she lifted the lid up only to gasp in surprised at the movement within. What was inside the box could only be described as a mini fountain. Tiny jets of water shot up in beautiful patterns, its motion controlled by the small amount of swirling youki which she recognized as Akiyama's.

"It's… beautiful…" she whispered as she looked up at him, not knowing what else to say.

"I hope that it will entertain you."

Kagome grinned as she reached over to give him a hug. "Thank you, Akiyama." Then she gave him a suspicious look. "This does not have any meaning, does it? I mean, I'm not exactly familiar with demon customs."

An enigmatic smile crossed his lips as he kept an arm around her shoulders. Strangely enough, she did not feel uncomfortable with his actions. It was actually quite nice.

"This particular gift doesn't have a specific meaning."

Her eyes narrowed. She knew her well enough to tell that he had something on his mind with that look on his face. "So, are you planning to give me another one with a… um… a specific meaning?"

"Perhaps."

She instantly bristled at his evasiveness. Shrugging his arm away, she groused, "I'm tired of being tricked, Akiyama. Just tell me what you mean, alright?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that I'm doing such a thing, Kagome? Have I not been honest with you?"

"I don't know."

He regarded her thoughtfully. His voice was measured when he said, "I wasn't planning to tell you just yet, but I fear that you may come to the wrong conclusion if I don't." He paused briefly before he continued, "I wish to court you."

Kagome blinked, her lips parting in disbelief. Courting as in dating? Surely she must have misheard. How did this happen? "Uh… what?"

"I wish to court you, Kagome. And if you accept, I will endeavor to persuade you to be my mate. We spend enough time in the past weeks that I can be certain that this is what I want."

He really meant it. What should she say? Akiyama wanted her as his mate. She had a bad experience with Sesshoumaru, but Akiyama had always treated her differently from how Sesshoumaru had treated her.

She forced herself to speak. "But… We… You and I…" she faltered, not knowing how to continue. "We're not in love," she finally muttered. Not that it stopped anything when it came to what had happened with Sesshoumaru, she thought darkly.

Akiyama gave her a knowing look. "I know that this emotion called love is something humans seek in their mating."

Kagome glanced up sharply at him. Surely he could not be telling her that he loved her?

"However, I am a demon. And although I understand the nuances of this emotion, I cannot claim to have experienced it. And I will not tell you that I possess such feelings for you until such time that I do so."

"Oh," Kagome exclaimed. His bluntness was unexpected, but at least he was honest about it. "Then… why?"

"I do have a reason for courting you. And it is not a dishonorable one. Firstly, I enjoy your presence. It is rare that I find myself looking forward to the company of a female in a… non-physical manner. I could only hope that you feel the same."

"Are there other reasons?"

"It is to do with our territories. The level of power between the Northern and Western Lands are too close for my comfort. Although we are allies, that could change at any moment."

"What has this got to do with me?" she asked in bewilderment.

"By mating the mother of the Western Land's heir, I'm assured of peace between my territory and the west."

Kagome's eyes widened as comprehension dawned.

Then Akiyama smiled. "Your beauty and your exuberance for life simply add to the temptation."

Kagome could not help but blush. Then she frowned thoughtfully. "I still want to go home, Akiyama," she muttered. But what if she could not get back? What if her child could not pass through the well like she had done?

"In that case, I will try my best to persuade you to remain," he replied quietly.

She bit her lips. What should she tell him? Would it be such a bad thing? After all, if she could not get home and had to stay in this era once her child was born, at least she and Akiyama got along quite well. And one had to be blind to not realize how good-looking the Northern Lord was. And the most important thing was, he had never hurt her.

"You do not have to make a decision now. And if you agree to the courting, it doesn't mean that I will force you to be my mate if you find that such a thing is not what you seek. In my culture, you must consent fully for the mating to occur and I could only try my best to persuade you."

She bit her lips. "So, I can back out if it's not what I want?"

He nodded.

Kagome gazed into his blue eyes, not missing the sincerity in them. Then she looked down as he placed her hand in his, feeling the warmth of his skin. She could do much worse than to accept.

Deciding to take the risk, she nodded.

* * *

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed into slits as he gazed upon the couple seated on the raised platform. The layout of the castle meant that the miko's chambers were visible from his study from across the courtyard. And at that very moment, Sesshoumaru wished that he had not had the misfortune of laying his eyes on distasteful scene before him. 

The miko had her arms wrapped around the elemental shortly after she had accepted something from him, and even at such distance, Sesshoumaru could tell that Akiyama was pleased at her actions.

Her familiarity with the Northern Lord was revolting. And lately, from what he could tell, they seemed to be growing closer. Perhaps she was truly enamored with the elemental. Perhaps at that very moment, she was accepting the Northern Lord's proposal. An unfamiliar surge of something which felt like envy rose within Sesshoumaru. The miko had been strained around him ever since the mating incident and it was disturbing to see her at ease with the other demon.

Perhaps this was for the best.

Perhaps all these unwanted feelings would leave him if she left with Akiyama. Somehow, Sesshoumaru was not convinced that such a thing was true, considering the intensity of what he felt. He could no longer blame this upon their mating bond, for the bond had already been broken for many cycles of the moon.

A series of soft taps on the shoji screen drew his attention away from the miko and Akiyama. Glancing over his shoulders, he called out for Katsuo to enter.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" His general sounded hesitant.

"Speak, Katsuo."

Sesshoumaru turned around just as Katsuo inhaled a deep breath. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I wish to request for larger sleeping quarters."

Not certain that he had heard his generally correctly, Sesshoumaru asked, "Is your current chamber insufficient?"

"It would be so once Natsumi and I are mated."

Sesshoumaru frowned. Although he knew that his general and the miko's maid were close, he had not expected this. How would this event affect the pup the miko was carrying? He was still unable to tell who was responsible for impregnating the miko. Still, even if the miko was bearing Katsuo's pup, Sesshoumaru had no intention of forcing Katsuo to mate the miko, since his general had only been following orders.

This mating between Katsuo and Natsumi would happen, and they would resolve the issue of the pup once his parentage is confirmed.

"See to it that a new building is constructed at the northern end," he instructed.

Katsuo blinked in surprised. "A _new_ building, My Lord?"

"Do not make me repeat myself, Katsuo," Sesshoumaru said impatiently. "However, if it is confirmed that you sired the miko's pup, you'd be expected to take responsibility."

Katsuo's eyes bulged before he grew pale. "T-The miko's pup? My Lord… The miko is carrying the… heir to the Western Lands."

"It is too early to confirm who fathered the pup, therefore, there is still a possibility that you are the sire," Sesshoumaru gritted out. This conversation was most unsettling and he wished for it to end.

"B-But that's not possible."

Sesshoumaru felt his hackles rise. He did not expect Katsuo to avoid his responsibilities. "Why are you so certain, Katsuo?"

"My Lord…The miko and I…We did not…rut," he admitted haltingly.

Sesshoumaru froze as Katsuo's words rang in his ears repeatedly.

If they did not rut, then how did the bond break? Was Katsuo lying to him? For he was certain that they had rutted.

Was he?

Casting his mind back to that fateful day many moons ago, Sesshoumaru remembered nothing but blinding rage interspersed with the pain of the breaking bond. Katsuo had left the miko fully dressed and there was a distinct scent of arousal in the air. But he could not remember if there had been any signs of release. Was it possible that he had simply arrived at the wrong assumptions in the heat of his anger?

"Explain yourself, Katsuo," Sesshoumaru demanded in a clipped tone. If Katsuo spoke the truth, it meant that he had neglected the mother of his pup while she needed him most.

"The miko explained the reason behind your orders, My Lord," Katsuo said, looking uncomfortable.

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened at the thought that his general now knew about something he wished to be kept private. He could only hope that Katsuo had not spread the word to the rest of his servants and guards.

"But she took care to inform me only of the bare facts," Katsuo finished quickly.

Sesshoumaru stilled. The miko knew him well enough to realize this? She was attempting to protect him? The thought was…unsettling.

"What do you know?" Sesshoumaru asked tersely.

Katsuo swallowed nervously. "That the mating was accidental and that you sought to break the mating bond."

"You were given an order to rut with the miko," Sesshoumaru bit out, swallowing down his revulsion at the words.

Katsuo took a deep breath. "That did not happen. The bond broke because she felt betrayed. She felt betrayed when you…" he faltered uncertainly.

"Continue," Sesshoumaru instructed impatiently.

"Kagome felt betrayed when you broke your word to her and that you tried to force her into an act she did not consent to." When he lifted his eyes again, his general added, "The bond broke because you broke her trust in you. And I expect to be punished for disobeying your instruction."

A feeling of numbness took hold of Sesshoumaru as he digested Katsuo's words. It was all so evident now that Katsuo had said it. Betrayal came in all forms. All along, it had been him, Sesshoumaru, who had betrayed the miko. And his betrayal had continued in the form of his neglect of the mother of his pup.

Sesshoumaru turned away from his general, walking towards the low table at one end of the study. His eyes stared unseeingly at the kanji on the scroll. Katsuo's confession released a flood of unfamiliar feeling within him. Much as he disliked the notion, he had to admit that he had been wrong all this time.

Without looking at Katsuo, he said, "You will not be punished."

"But-"

Sesshoumaru interjected tonelessly, "See to the new building."

It was only when Katsuo had left the study that Sesshoumaru allowed himself to sag. Remorse, thick and heavy, weighed upon him. In addition to that, now that he knew that the pup was his, he felt somewhat incensed at himself for disregarding his duty. What should he do now?

Then a chill washed over him when something presented itself.

Akiyama.

In the past, he had been unsettled enough at the fact that Akiyama was courting the miko. Now it was worse. It was one thing to allow the elemental to court the miko in the midst of the uncertainty of the pup's parentage. It was another thing altogether to allow him to court the mother of his pup.

An instinctive part of Sesshoumaru urged him to remove the threat of the elemental and claim the miko. Although he should not hold such inclinations towards a mere human, Sesshoumaru could feel himself wanting to reestablish their mating bond. However, much as his instincts clamored to do so, he knew that he would not allow it.

He needed to speak to the miko.

And in order for him to do so, Inuyasha had to be out of the way. Sesshoumaru could not bring himself to approach the miko while the hanyou stood watching over them suspiciously. For he had seen the looks Inuyasha had given the miko. Whether he realized it or not, the hanyou had developed a sense of possessiveness and compassion towards the female. However, to confront Inuyasha about it would be tantamount to admitting that he was concerned enough to notice.

Sesshoumaru stood up.

There was one thing he could do.

Tetsusaiga's location was still unknown, and even though he had questioned Inuyasha about it, he was no closer to obtaining the elusive sword. It was said that Tetsusaiga was capable of bringing down a hundred demons in one swing. Such powerful blade would be worthy of being held by none other but himself.

He would send Inuyasha out to locate Tetsusaiga.

Mind made up, he strode towards Inuyasha's chambers. As he approached, his senses told him that Inuyasha was not alone. A muffled series of moans could be heard through the closed shoji screen, informing Sesshoumaru of just what Inuyasha was indulging in. Sesshoumaru grimaced when he recognized the scent of the female as one of the inuyoukai maids. It was a different one from the female Inuyasha had indulged in just a few nights ago.

Truly, Inuyasha should seek a better way of passing time than to rut with the females of the castle. It was abhorrent how he carried on with different females each week. Knowing fully well that he would be interrupting, Sesshoumaru allowed a smirk to cross his lips as he slid the shoji screen open abruptly.

"What the hell!" Inuyasha snarled, jumping up from the futon as the female under him screamed in alarm.

Ignoring the hanyou's state of undress, Sesshoumaru gave the maid a stern look. "Leave."

Eyes rounding in fear, the maid scrambled off the futon. Pulling the sheets to cover herself, she rushed out of the room.

Throwing his red fire-rat robe over his body, Inuyasha yelled incredulously, "Are you out of your mind? Can't you see what I'm doing in here?"

"One had to be senseless to miss the scent and the noises," Sesshoumaru remarked flatly.

Inuyasha's eyes bulged. "You KNEW what we were doing? Then why the hell did you come in then?" he shouted furiously.

"You will lower your voice, Inuyasha."

Staring at him disbelievingly, Inuyasha ground out, "What do you want? If it's Kagome, she's with Akiyama."

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. Inuyasha's mention of the Akiyama only served to highlight the urgency of matters. He needed to mend things with the miko, and he needed it done quickly.

"You will leave the castle to search for Tetsusaiga."

Inuyasha blinked. "You're still looking for that fang?"

"It is you who will search for it, Inuyasha. Then you will bring it to this Sesshoumaru."

"We've been through this! No one has heard of this black pearl or whatever unseen grave thing, damn it!" Inuyasha snarled. "Go find it yourself if you want Tetsusaiga so badly. Keh! That blade is supposed to be mine anyway."

"You are not worthy to wield such a blade," Sesshoumaru scorned. "Therefore it will be put to better use. This is a task you will complete to redeem yourself, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's eyes bulged. "Just how many things must I do to _redeem_ myself, huh? I thought looking after Kagome is supposed to be punishment."

"Do you view it as punishment?" Sesshoumaru asked, knowing that in the past few months, Inuyasha had not begrudged the miko his company.

Inuyasha turned red. "That's it! You find it yourself," Inuyasha declared. Then his eyes narrowed. "After that, I'll take it from you."

"Impossible."

"What? Do you think I can't bring you down?"

Sesshoumaru quirked his brow. Did the hanyou truly believe that he could succeed in a battle against one such as him?

"Is that a challenge, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked silkily, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Do you wish to be convinced by physical means?" He deliberately flexed his claws, allowing his poison to seep out of the tips.

Inuyasha glared at him. "Keh! I don't want to waste my time."

Sesshoumaru simply quirked his brow. "Will you accept your duty?"

"Hell! Fine! I'll do it!" Inuyasha finally snapped.

* * *

Kagome could not believe it. Akiyama had only been around on and off in the last few weeks but now that he was gone, she actually felt rather lonely. The water elemental had treated her well, she admitted. Although she sensed that he was very powerful, Akiyama did not flaunt his strength. Instead, he was almost…normal, even after he had announced that he meant to court her. 

Katsuo and Natsumi had their own tasks to perform in the Western Lands and she understood that they could not spend all their time with her. And although Inuyasha was with her during most of her waking hour, he was not what she called a great conversationalist.

Come to think of it, she wondered where Inuyasha was. Deciding to find him, she padded through the castle towards his room.

He was in, she thought with satisfaction when she heard some sounds from inside. The shoji screen scraped against its track as she pushed it open.

"Inuyasha?"

Immediately a squeal of shock escaped her lips, only to be echoed by another feminine squeal. Kagome quickly clapped her hands to her eyes, trying desperately to erase the image she had seen of a naked Inuyasha lounging on his futon while an inuyoukai maid dressed hurriedly. It was obvious what they had been up to. Embarrassed, she realized that perhaps she should not have barged in like that.

"Damn it! Can't I just rut in peace? What the hell are you doing in here?" Inuyasha yelled incredulously. "First Sesshoumaru and now you? Did he put you up to this?"

She peeked between her fingers, only to find that he was still nude. "Put something on! It's disgusting!" she shrieked, ignoring the apologies of the inuyoukai maid who had just rushed past her.

"This is my sleeping quarters! I can be as disgusting as I want!" he shot back belligerently.

"Fine!" she retorted, stumbling backwards out of the room, and then quickly slammed the shoji shut.

Leaning back against it, she grimaced in embarrassment as she rubbed her heated cheeks. That was just so wrong, seeing Inuyasha like that. It was nothing like the way she felt when Sesshoumaru had stood in front of her naked so many months ago. She could still distinctly remember how her entire body had heated while her eyes roamed his sculpted torso down to his…

A helpless groan broke from her. Not again. She had to stop thinking about Sesshoumaru. The demon lord was not even speaking to her, and it would be mortifying if he found out what she was thinking. Maybe this reaction was simply caused by her hormone-laden pregnant body. Yes, that must be it.

A moment later, the screen slid open again to reveal a disgruntled looking Inuyasha. "I'll be leaving for a while, alright. So don't start lecturing me."

"Leaving?" she echoed.

"Yeah, I have something to do," he muttered irritably.

Kagome sighed. Inuyasha had kept her company for so long that she knew that his absence would hit her hard. "How long will you be away?"

He crossed his arms over the chest. "How should I know?!" he snapped.

Kagome bristled at his tone just as Katsuo approached down the hallway. The grey-haired general directed a glare at Inuyasha as he stopped at the gaping shoji screen.

"Watch you tongue, Inuyasha," Katsuo warned in a tight voice.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Butt out, alright. Kagome is my responsibility and has got nothing to do with you."

Kagome groaned, burying her face in her hand. They were at it again. For some reason, the two half demons simply could not get along. And it always got worse when she was around. Katsuo had told her that he hated it when Inuyasha shouted at her, and it was something she could understand. But for as long as she knew Inuyasha, he only displayed two modes; annoyed or gruff, so she did not have the heart to tell him off.

"Actually, you're not responsible for her now," Katsuo declared smugly.

"What the hell do you mean?"

"It means that I will be accompanying the miko whenever Lord Sesshoumaru isn't available to do so."

Inuyasha sputtered, while Kagome gaped. Sesshoumaru was planning to spend time with her? Doing what? Staring at each other silently? That should be fun, she thought dryly. Maybe she should learn sign language or something.

Inuyasha pushed past them. "Do what you want," he muttered irritably as he stalked down the hallway, leaving them to stare at his retreating back.

"He's finally gone," Katsuo muttered.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "What is it that you got against him?"

"He's loud."

"Yeah, I know. But that's hardly a good reason."

Katsuo scowled.

At that moment, Kagome felt the approach of a familiar aura. Sesshoumaru. He looked as if he had every intention of approaching them. A stab of anxiety coursed through her.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Katsuo greeted.

"You will see to the warriors," Sesshoumaru instructed tonelessly.

Bowing slightly, Katsuo left, giving her a small smile as he passed.

Kagome frowned as she turned her attention to Sesshoumaru. What was he doing still standing there? Surely he would not deign to lower himself to speak to her first?

They stared at each other silently.

Then again, maybe not, Kagome thought wryly. It looked like he was happy to stand there staring her down. Maybe he was waiting for her to talk first. Her eyes immediately narrowed. Not a chance in hell. She would not back down this time.

"Miko."

Kagome blinked. He had finally broken the silence. Wait, maybe she was just hearing things. Holding her breath, she continued to stare at him.

"This Sesshoumaru assumes that you have not lost your capacity for speech," he intoned flatly.

He had spoken. Sesshoumaru was really, really speaking to her.

* * *

"So, I was quite surprised that you finally decided to talk to me," the miko finished, giving him a sheepish smile as she leaned back against the back of the dining chair. 

Sesshoumaru's lips twitched as he recalled the expression on the miko's face when his younger self had spoken. On hindsight, he could tell that those months of silence had only occurred simply because both of them were too stubborn to relent.

"Why did you wait so long?" she asked.

"You could have simply spoken to me first, Miko," he replied, knowing that it would irk her.

He was not disappointed.

Bristling, her eyes flared. "Now why would I want to do that? You're the one who insisted that I stay in the Western Lands until I gave birth. And then you gave me the silent treatment. You didn't even care that I was pregnant with your son for what…months?"

"The silence was mutual." His voice was strained. He knew that he had made a mistake then, and perhaps it was time for him to correct her assumptions. "But I cared."

She scowled, and then muttered under her breath, "I don't see how you could have cared, seeing that you don't even know what I'm up to most of the time."

"Inuyasha informed me regularly of your progress."

The miko's eyes widened. "That idiot! He was your SPY?"

Before he could reply, the sound of laughter from a television program filtered into the kitchen, drawing his attention. Obviously hearing the same thing, the miko frowned. Standing up, she yelled towards the living room, "Jii-chan! Can you turn the volume down, please?"

"I should really get in touch with that grumpy hanyou," she said absently as she sat back down. "What about Katsuo and the rest? Are they around?"

"Shin, Katsuo and Natsumi work for me. A number of warriors had perished in the war."

"What war?"

"The war between humans and demons."

She gasped. "There was really a war? I thought Jii-chan was just making that up."

The sound of shrill laughter from the talk show on the television grated at Sesshoumaru's nerves, but he forced himself to ignore it. It was important that the miko understood what had actually happened in the past since she was to be a part of his life, and that meant interacting with other demons.

"It happened four centuries ago when the human population had grown so much that the sheer number posed a threat to demons. Influenced by the demon slayers, humans began to form similar groups with the sole purpose of hunting and killing demons," he explained.

The miko's expression twisted in horror. "That's awful. Why did they do it?"

"They fear what they do not understand. That is why demons conceal their heritage in the present time."

The miko frowned thoughtfully. "I was wondering what happened to your markings." Then she glanced again at the door leading to the living room. Pushing her chair back, she said, "I can't think with all the noise. I'm going out there to ask Jii-chan to turn it down."

"Hn."

Propping his elbows on the kitchen table, Sesshoumaru pondered upon the reaction of the other demons once they were informed of the miko's and the pup's presence in his life. He had no doubt that those who had not met the miko would be astonished at this particular development, as he had shown no inclination of mating with anyone in the past five centuries.

He instantly froze at the directions of his thoughts.

Mating?

He knew without a doubt that he wished to be with the miko and his pup. But was this the role he intended for the miko? For her to be his mate? If so, would she accept it considering their difficult past? Could he persuade her to ignore his prior mistakes? His head throbbed, and Sesshoumaru pressed his fingers onto the bridge of his nose. This matter required more consideration, but he knew that he did not have the luxury of time since Akiyama was also pursuing the miko. And he needed to find out what had happened in the past with regards to this issue, now that the miko remembered that Akiyama had been pursuing her then.

He could still hear the sound of the television filtering into the kitchen, even though it was softer now. The miko had gone to tell the disturbing old man to turn the volume down, but with his sensitive hearing, Sesshoumaru could still make out every single word that was being said.

The sound of footsteps reached him and he watched as the miko returned to the kitchen, muttering under her breath. Sitting down opposite him, she asked, "So where were we?"

"The war."

The miko sighed. "How many died?"

"Humans or demons?"

She hesitated. "Both."

"Thousands, at least. On both sides."

"It all sound so terrible." Then her eyes widened. "You mentioned demons slayers. Were they the same ones we met on patrol one day?"

"They were involved."

She slumped. "I don't know what to think, Sesshoumaru."

He declined to comment. After all, nothing would change the past. At the present moment, however, he needed her to confirm the situation between her and Akiyama.

"Did you accept Akiyama's proposal?"

Sputtering, the miko's eyes grew large. "What proposal? Are you remembering something I don't?"

"The courtship, Miko," he clarified dryly. "Did you accept?"

"Oh…_that_ proposal…" A moment passed as she frowned thoughtfully. "I guess in a way, I did. I mean, we do get along quite well. As far as I remember, I liked being around him," she mused.

A growl escaped Sesshoumaru's lips before he could prevent it. She still spoke of the elemental fondly. Then again, he should not be surprised considering their earlier _flirtations_. However, it would not do for the miko to be interested in Akiyama. Certainly not in the present time considering his own intentions.

Before he could process the thought, the miko suddenly gasped. "S-Sesshoumaru?"

He frowned at her tone of bewilderment. "What is the matter, Miko?"

Wordlessly, she raised a hand to his face. Sesshoumaru felt himself stiffen with surprise as she ran her fingertips down the side of his cheek. Then, as she continued to touch him, a shiver of something he could not name went up his spine.

"Your markings," she whispered.

"They are concealed," he ventured quietly. Did she wish to see them?

Shaking her head vehemently, she insisted, "No. I can see them right now."

Shock ran through him. The concealing spell had never failed and would never reveal his demonic heritage without his consent. He immediately glanced at the nearest window, only to find his reflection staring back at him, complete with his familiar magenta stripes and the crescent moon on his forehead.

"Impossible," he hissed.

* * *

t.b.c. 

…

A/N: That's all for Chapter 17. There are only five more chapters to go now. I hope that you've enjoyed it. Please review if you can. It'll be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu, Moriko and Eiko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing the previous chapter. As always, I hope that you'll enjoy this one.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 18**

"Impossible," he hissed.

Bewildered, he wondered how such a thing could have happened. For hundreds of years, the spell had worked. It was not meant to dissolve unless he willed it to be so. Why should it fail so abruptly?

Sesshoumaru stood up. A quick glance at the miko told him that she was just as shocked as he was. The only difference was the shimmer of wonderment in her eyes. As they stared at each other wordlessly, the shrill ringing of his cellphone broke the silence.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" the miko asked after a while.

"Hn."

Retrieving his cellphone from his pocket, he barked, "Yes?"

Shiori's frantic voice reached him. "Sesshoumaru, there's a problem with the spell."

"So it seems," he remarked dryly.

"No, you don't understand. It's affecting _a lot of demons."_

A lot? As in those in the public eye as well? A feeling of foreboding crept up his spine. "What caused this, Shiori?"

The bat hanyou's desperation was clear when she replied, "I don't know! Considering that I've been getting calls about the same thing from all over Japan for the last fifteen minutes, it's something which is widespread. Having said that, not everyone is affected." Then she paused before adding in a quieter voice, "Yet. What are we going to do? It's not so bad for demons like me and Moriko. And perhaps yours can be explained away as tattoos but demons like Manten and Ryoukan cannot walk out in public without their concealment."

It would not do to panic. This could be a simple accident. However, he did not discount the possibility of sabotage.

"Calm yourself, Shiori," he intoned levelly.

"Sesshoumaru, I can't be calm. I'm getting bombarded by calls from all over and I have no answers for them."

His tone was level when he said, "Inform everyone to be vigilant. They are not to expose themselves to the public without some form of disguise until they hear otherwise."

The moment he hung up, Sesshoumaru immediately dialed Inuyasha's number. It was picked up on the first ring.

"I've been trying to call you!" his brother exploded into the phone. "The whole place is a mess here."

"Where are you?"

"Sesshoumaru, did you hear me? I said this whole place is a freaking mess. I'm in the club and the concealing spell just died on a bunch of us. So we're stuck here."

Inuyasha's tone grated at him, causing Sesshoumaru to frown. "I know of the failure, Inuyasha. How many are affected?"

"I don't know, damn it! I didn't have time to do a headcount," Inuyasha snarled.

"Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru gritted out impatiently. "You will curb your hysterics and answer the question."

A muttered curse reached him. Then a moment of silence passed before Inuyasha said, "There's about seventy of us so far in the Fusion Club. Hiten told me there are more in other clubs. We got rid of the human patrons once we realized what was happening, but all the demon ones are still here."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. He could feel the imminent approach of a headache. Too many demons were affected for this to be a mere accident. And he could only think of one individual who was most likely to be responsible for this chaos. Though how exactly Naraku could have achieved such a feat was beyond him. The filthy hanyou had either amassed a great amount of power right under their noses all this time or someone of greater power was assisting him.

Naraku would pay for this the moment he was apprehended.

Returning his attention to the call, Sesshoumaru instructed, "Stay where you are. I'll be there soon."

"Keh! It's not like I can go anywhere, can I?"

Sesshoumaru declined to answer. With that, he hung up before turning back to the miko.

His breath caught in his throat when she reached up a hand toward his face. The touch of her fingers against his skin was soft and there was a faint blush to her cheeks as her eyes scanned his features. Although this was hardly an appropriate moment, he felt a deep flare of attraction for her, more intense that what his younger self had felt. He inhaled deeply, only to be disappointed by her lack of scent. No doubt this was another legacy of their past.

It did not matter. He knew that she was what he wanted. Whatever it took, he would ensure that she would remain by his side, regardless of what happened in the past.

* * *

It was just like she had remembered, Kagome thought as she ran a finger down one of the magenta stripes on his cheeks. Her eyes swept over his face, which looked so very different from how he had appeared a few minutes ago. He looked so…familiar with those markings. She traced the stripes again. His marking were beautiful. 

Her movements were stilled abruptly when he caught her hand. She flinched involuntarily when she realized that she had been all but caressing his face. Why did she do that? She tried to pull back her hand only to find that he was not willing to relinquish it.

Sesshoumaru's voice was strangely husky when he said, "It might be difficult for me to see you tomorrow. The spell concealing our demonic heritage has failed. It is something which requires my attention."

She nodded, understanding that he had to resolve this problem. His earlier explanation had given her a better understanding of where demons stand in this present society. "Don't worry about it, Sesshoumaru. You've got things to do."

His eyes flickered. Then, leaning down, he brushed his cool cheek against hers, drawing a gasp from her. He was nuzzling her, she thought, stunned into immobility at the realization. He was nuzzling her like he had done before they had mated.

By the time he lifted his head, she felt quite unsteady.

Their eyes met and her throat went dry. Without the concealment, he seemed larger than life, more real.

"I will be in contact," he told her quietly.

She could only nod. Then she watched as he left the house and transformed into his energy orb. Standing there alone, she waited until the orb disappeared from sight before she drew a deep breath.

What had just happened there? Why was she reacting to him like that? She knew who he was long before, but the sight of his demonic markings seemed to have struck something deep within her. It made him more… recognizable. And it brought back all the confusion she had felt back in the past.

Then again, he had changed. Her lips twisted when it hit her just how different this present day Sesshoumaru was. Unlike his younger self, he was more open even though earlier he had been reluctant to admit that Katsuo was the one who clarified Sachimaru's parentage. The present day Sesshoumaru was obviously annoyed at his past self. On hindsight, she supposed she could not blame him because it did seem as if she and Katsuo had had sex.

Akiyama was obviously another sore topic from the tension in Sesshoumaru's form each time it was brought up. The taiyoukai had made it more than clear that she should not encourage any advances from the elemental. She grimaced. It would be awkward to go out with Akiyama when Sesshoumaru was intent on remaining in hers and Sachimaru's life anyway.

But Sesshoumaru had said nothing about the two of them. Did staying in their life mean that he would continue visiting like this? What about her then? Some day, she would want to get married and have more children and do the things normal people do. Akiyama had offered her that, and still offered her the same thing even after five hundred year. But Sesshoumaru, like his younger self, had not touched upon any long term plans.

The warmth she had felt earlier evaporated at the thought and she wrapped her arms around herself to ward of the sudden chill. A familiar feeling, something akin to what her past self had experienced, washed over her. What was this? Disappointment?

Looking back on her memories, she understood something that her younger self had not been consciously aware of. Her behavior and the intensity of her responses to Sesshoumaru could only mean that she had some feelings for Sesshoumaru. Were those feelings still there? Was it why she had felt so compelled to touch him earlier? Was that why she was disappointed that Sesshoumaru had not offered her more back then and right now?

* * *

It was not long before Sesshoumaru landed on the rooftop of Fusion Club, one of the more recent venues Inuyasha had procured. Without delay, he used the escape stairs to make his way down to the club. 

The scene which greeted him was nothing short of chaos even though the music had been switched off. Heated arguments were scattered throughout the club and Sesshoumaru could tell that it was only a matter of time before fights broke out.

"It's Sesshoumaru!" someone exclaimed.

The room instantly fell silent, but there was no mistaking the air of suppressed panic. Sesshoumaru's lips tightened as he continued to scan the room, noting that although still humanoid in form, many demons had lost their concealment. Those with their demonic heritage clearly displayed formed the majority in the club. Then his eyes landed on Inuyasha just as the hanyou began to push past the throng to reach him.

"Inuyasha," he greeted levelly.

Scowling, Inuyasha snapped, "It's about time you got here."

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. "Such a tone is unnecessary."

"Keh!"

"When exactly did this occur?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"We were just sitting in the lounge, watching the game when it happened."

Sesshoumaru glanced at the separated area in one corner of the club where a large display screen was mounted on the wall. Something nudged at the back of his mind, but he could not quite place it. Then he noticed the glasses on the tables.

"Have you tested the drinks?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "No one can test anything right now because we can't get out. And those who are not yet affected are too scared to go out because they don't know if their concealment will fail."

"Hn."

A loud shriek pierced the air suddenly. Then the female demon exclaimed, "Look!" Pointing to the large screen on the wall in the lounge, she stuttered disbelievingly, "The news…"

"Turn up the volume!"

The sound began to filter into the room a short while later.

As he watched the screen, Sesshoumaru grew cold. The reporter's excitement was barely contained and his bespectacled eyes gleamed with greedy curiosity as he presented the view of two struggling demons behind him, each being restrained by four police officers.

Beetle demons, Sesshoumaru surmised. If he remembered correctly, those demons were under Kouga's care. They were lower level demons and were relatively harmless. It was intolerable that the humans had the audacity to capture them.

"This is the proof that demons do exist," the reporter exclaimed.

"Of course we exist," a cat youkai muttered, his long black tail swishing angrily.

"Shh! Listen!" a female youkai of mixed descent shushed him.

The reporter continued enthusiastically, "This explains the recent outbreaks of violence all over Japan. Demons are the ones who are responsible for disturbing the peace. Just how many of them are out there? And will they continue their destructive ways? Will they turn on us humans one day?"

Sesshoumaru bit back a snarl. It was humans like this who caused most problems by inciting unnecessary mass panic. Something had to be done about the situation. They could no longer hide the fact that demons existed, but he still needed to contain the situation as much as possible.

His eyes landed on the glasses again. Testing the drinks would not explain how his own concealment spell had failed, unless the tea in the miko's kitchen had been tampered with. However, they had to eliminate the possibilities to arrive at the correct conclusion.

Sesshoumaru pinned his eyes on one of the waitresses, a blonde demoness. As the demoness walked up to him, he instructed, "You will collect samples from the drinks in this room."

The demoness nodded and quickly left to do as she was instructed.

Understanding his intentions without being told, Inuyasha gestured at a male tiger demon, whose concealment spell was still intact. "You! Wait here and get the samples from Yuka when she's done collecting it. Then get it to Shiori at Tsukuyo Medical."

The male demon sputtered, his expression turning horrified. "I'm not going out there. If the spell fails my stripes will show up on my face."

Grimacing, Inuyasha glanced around. "Who can bring the samples to Tsukuyo?" he shouted out.

Silence greeted him.

"Keh! You cowards!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Give me that!" he growled as he snatched a red cap from one of the other demons.

"Hey!" the squirrel demon protested indignantly, his whiskers twitching.

Ignoring the other demon, Inuyasha pulled the cap down to cover his ears. Turning around, he said, "I'm heading to Tsukuyo with samples of the drinks. At least we'll find out if the drinks were spiked."

His brows furrowed, Sesshoumaru wondered if it was wise for Inuyasha to be the one to go. Before he could consider his actions, he caught Inuyasha's arm just as the hanyou was about to rush out. When his brother turned around, Sesshoumaru said tightly, "You will not allow yourself to be caught. Is that understood?"

Inuyasha's eyes flickered momentarily. Then he nodded. "They won't catch me so easily."

Sesshoumaru watched as the hanyou disappeared from sight. Knowing that there was nothing much he could do there until they determined what caused the failure of the spell, he turned to face the crowd.

"Those who lacks visible demonic markings, you will return home this instance. Keep to quiet roads and only travel in groups of not less than four. Those with visible demonic markings will remain until secure transportation arrives, regardless of the current state of your concealment spell."

The crowd began to whisper and mutter.

Hardening his expression, Sesshoumaru warned, "Attempt to leave, and you risk sharing the same fate as the beetle demons."

He scanned the room, wordlessly warning the crowd of demons to obey. Then his eyes landed on the screen in the lounge. Instantly, the odd feeling which had nudged at him returned. Brows furrowing, he continued to stare at the screen, attempting to discern what it was.

A moment later, it struck him.

His concealment had slipped when the miko went to tell her grandfather to lower the television volume. These demons had been watching the game on the large screen when their concealment spell had failed. And he knew for certain that other clubs had a screen somewhere within.

Could it be that someone was broadcasting a disabling spell at a frequency which only affected demons? Such a thing could be coded within the regular programmes.

He did not remember hearing anything out of the ordinary. Still, as sensitive as his hearing was, the frequency might have been too high for him to detect. Therefore the best person to investigate this would be Shiori, considering her bat-like sense of hearing.

Yes, he would instruct Shiori to do so.

With that thought, he made his way back up to the roof. Soon, he was traveling through the sky, heading towards Tsukuyo Medical.

As the buildings sped past under him, he glanced in the direction of the miko's shrine, wishing that he had had more time to spend with her and his pup. His thoughts about the situation with the demons slowly receded, only to be replaced by his memories of the past, his second meeting with the miko after he had broken their silence.

* * *

Sesshoumaru watched the miko silently from a distance. 

She was sitting at the edge of the hotsprings with her feet immersed in the water. Held in her hand was a bound parchment which had remained surprisingly dry. She seemed to be completely absorbed in whatever it was that she had found in his library. He was certain that the miko would not attempt escape, now that she was more than halfway through the breeding term. Already, her midsection had rounded substantially, restricting her movements.

Deciding that he should not delay their meeting any longer, he descended from the boulder. Almost immediately, he saw the stiffening of her form before she glanced over her shoulders.

"Sesshoumaru!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Hn."

They stared at each other for a long while.

As the uncomfortable silence grew heavier, Sesshoumaru berated himself for his inability to instigate a simple conversation with the miko. He had done so in the past before they had mated, until a series of events had created a strain in their interaction. Nevertheless, he realized that it was foolish to remain staring at each other mutely.

"Miko. Are you well?" he asked, not missing how stiff he sounded.

Her lips parted in surprise. Then she blinked. "I guess so," she murmured, averting her gaze.

"Hn."

Deciding that nothing would be achieved unless he pressed on, Sesshoumaru went to stand next to her. Once again, his mind refused to supply him with the appropriate words for a conversation. Irked at himself, Sesshoumaru clenched his hands into fists. Surely this should not be so difficult. It had not been as difficult yesterday when he approached her for the first time. But then again, feeling discomfited, he had immediately walked away after informing her that Katsuo would be her guardian until Inuyasha returned. Unfortunately, the two sentences he had uttered yesterday could hardly qualify as a conversation.

For a long while, they simply remained in silence. Clenching and unclenching his hands slowly, he attempted to think of something to say, but came up with nothing.

It was the miko who finally broke the silence.

"When will Inuyasha be back?" she asked.

He glanced down at her, strangely relieved that she had spoken. "When he completes his task."

"Task?"

"He's searching for Tetsusaiga."

She frowned. "What's that?"

"A blade forged of our father's fang."

"Oh."

"Do you wish for his return?"

She nodded. "It's nice to have him around, even if he's grumpy most of the time. He's a good companion."

Did she imply that he, Sesshoumaru was unable to provide her with such comfort? His lips tightened in annoyance. Perhaps she was right. After all, he had not approached at all in the last few months. Instead, Inuyasha had been the one to ensure that she and the pup were safe. His negligence bit at him uncomfortably.

The miko rubbed her back, grimacing as she did so.

"Are you unwell?" he asked, once again noticing how unnatural he sounded.

She looked up at him in surprise. Then, with a hesitant smile, she replied, "A little achy, but otherwise alright."

Sesshoumaru frowned. He was not familiar with breeding females. "Where does it hurt?"

Her hand went to the small of her back. "Just down here. I think it's normal," she remarked thoughtfully.

"Hn."

Settling himself down beside her, he pulled her into his lap, ignoring her gasp of shock and the droplets of water that drenched his hakama. He would attempt to ease the discomfort of the mother of his pup. After all, this was his responsibility.

"Sesshoumaru!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide in her face. "What are you doing? Put me down."

"Be quiet," he ordered firmly. His actions unsettled him and he did not need her to question it.

While she blinked at him in astonishment, he simply shifted her rounded form carefully such that she was facing to the side. Placing a palm on the small of her back, he began to rub in a circular motion. Soon she began to relax under his touch and the tension seeped out of her. They remained in that position for a long while, surrounded by nothing but the soft gurgle of the hotsprings.

Without ceasing his movements, Sesshoumaru snuck a glance downwards to find that her eyelids were drooping. She was falling asleep under his caresses. Slowly, her body slanted sideways until she rested on his chest. His movement stilled completely when her head touched his shoulder.

Uncertain of his next move, Sesshoumaru simply held himself still. Her weight was insignificant but he intensely aware of the warmth of her body against his. Strangely enough, her presence in his arms was not displeasing. In fact, it was rather soothing. It occurred to him then that this was the first time in a long while that he did not feel agitated at one thing or another.

He frowned thoughtfully. Avoiding the miko had done nothing but cause him more distress. Perhaps he had overreacted over the odd emotions he had felt over the past few months. After all, prior to their mating, they had gotten along fairly well and there was every reason to believe that they could reach such a point once again. Furthermore, it was only natural for him to be concerned about the mother of his pup.

His eyes narrowed with determination. Yes, he would allow himself to care for the miko and she would remain in the Western Lands with their pup. He had no intention of mating her, or anyone for that matter, but he would provide her with everything she wished for. She would have no reason to go to Akiyama.

* * *

Kagome glanced over her shoulders at the taiyoukai behind her, eyeing the silver hair streaming out behind him. His attention was focused on the landscape in before him as he guided his cloud over the rough terrain. 

The last thing she had expected was for him to take her out. He had only done so once before, during one of his patrols. The scenery was breathtaking, but all she could think of was how warm his body felt against hers through the layers of clothes and armor. She was also beginning to think that she might have a permanent imprint of his hand on her stomach by the possessive way he was holding her. It seemed that he liked to touch her protruding belly, she thought with some amusement.

Not that this was the first time he had touched her. After all, his hands had been to many more private places, she recalled and immediately flushed. Her body began to heat up as it remembered just what those hands could do.

"Miko…" He sounded strained.

She closed her eyes, willing the images to go away.

"Miko!"

Her eyes snapped open to lock onto his flickering golden orbs.

"You may wish to curb your desires."

Kagome blanched in mortification. How was he able to tell? Maybe it was just a lucky guess. Yeah, that must be it. Forcing out a laugh, she said, "What are you talking about?"

He raised a brow at her. "Even though we're no longer bonded, this Sesshoumaru can sense your arousal," he said, sounding amused.

She closed her eyes. This was embarrassing. How could she talk her way out of this? "Um… It's just because of the pregnancy. My body is doing strange things," she fabricated, hoping that he would believe her.

His lips twitched. "Is that so?"

Suddenly irritated, she snapped, "Yes! It is so!"

"Very well." His expression belied his disbelief.

Why did he immediately think that she was having 'thoughts' about him? Disgruntled, she snapped, "Maybe I was thinking of Akiyama."

His eyes hardened. "You will not speak of the Northern Lord in such a manner," he gritted out. "It is… distasteful."

"So it's alright for me to have such thoughts about you but not Akiyama?" she challenged incredulously. Sesshoumaru's arrogance knew no bounds. If she should be having thoughts like that about someone, it should be about Akiyama, seeing that he was the one who was courting her.

One of his hands moved to her neck, and then she found herself spun around to face him. Surprised, she muffled a squeak, throwing her arms around him to stop herself from falling off his cloud. When her eyes shot up to his face, she swallowed hard at the unreadable gleam in those golden orbs.

"S-Sesshoumaru?" she stammered uncertainly.

His face loomed closer, and her lips parted as a mix of apprehension and anticipation shot though her. A fraction of a moment later, before she could process what was happening, his lips touched hers. Softly at first, then he became more insistent, sliding his tongue over to demand entry, the hand behind her neck holding her in place. Her blood ran hot the second his tongue touched hers, tangling in an erotic dance, eliciting a moan of desire from her.

Not quite knowing what she was doing, Kagome simply responded as her hands clenched and unclenched on his back. Kami, she had almost forgotten what it felt like to be kissed by him. Only this time, it was much more intense than she remembered.

He stopped just as abruptly as he had begun.

Dazed, she could only stare up at him, watching his eyes flicker with an indefinable emotion. He seemed just as shocked as she was. Then the hand at her neck tightened slightly before the expressionless mask slammed down on his features.

"Do not compare this Sesshoumaru with the Northern Lord if you do not wish for this to occur again," he intoned flatly.

* * *

Kagome sucked in a sharp breath as she jolted awake from her dream. Blinking rapidly, the view of the park near the shrine came into focus, making her realize that she had dozed off. She immediately searched for the familiar mop of silver hair to find with relief that Sachimaru was still swinging himself back and forth on the monkey bars, displaying his inhuman agility. A few other boys were nearby, but they did not bother him. 

Flashes of her dreams filtered through her mind.

Clapping her hands to her heated cheeks, she willed her erratic heartbeat to slow down. It was only a kiss, she scolded herself. How can she be so affected by the _memory_ of one little kiss? For Kami's sakes, she was not an inexperienced teenage girl. She immediately scowled at the thought. Maybe she was. After all, she did not remember if anything else had happened between her and Sesshoumaru.

Would she feel the same if Sesshoumaru kissed her in the present time?

Gah! What was she thinking about?

She had not seen him for two days only as she was already thinking about him like a lovesick teenager.

The moment the thought entered her mind, Kagome froze. She could not be in love with him, could she?

Shaking her head violently, she slapped her cheeks. She was just experiencing the leftover emotions from the memories, that was all. But then again, was she not the same person? If her younger self had such an intense response to Sesshoumaru, there was no reason why she should feel any differently.

Groaning helplessly, she wondered just how much messier her thoughts could get. What was real and what was not? What was her current and what were simply her old feelings? Was there any difference between the two? Just how much she had changed since then?

She wondered if Sesshoumaru was having the same problems separating the two now that the past had caught up with the present.

She made a face. This was hardly the time for him to be worried about something like this considering the current situation in the demon society. From what she could tell from the news, things did not look good. Sesshoumaru was right. People are scared of demons simply because they did not know them. She had been in prolonged contact with demons and as far as she could tell, they were just like normal people with feelings and all. The news made it sound as if they were animals without any conscience.

The image of Sesshoumaru flinging a lifeless body of a demon slayer flashed across her mind, making her wince. Alright, maybe they do get a little bloodthirsty when they were threatened, she admitted reluctantly. Still, it was not as if she did not understand why Sesshoumaru had done it that time.

She sighed. He had called last night like he had done the night before yesterday. It was an understatement to say that she was surprised by his commitment. Ever since their memories had returned, Sesshoumaru had found one way or another to stay in contact her and Sachimaru every day. He was really making an effort to make sure that he was in their lives. She knew that it was probably just because of Sachimaru, but a small part of her could not help but hope that there was something more than that.

At the moment, he was in Hokkaido for a meeting at Akiyama's place. Kagome bit her lips guiltily when she remembered that she had purposely avoided telling Sesshoumaru about Akiyama's phone calls. It was almost certain that Sesshoumaru would throw up an unnecessary fuss and she did not think that he needed the additional distraction at the moment.

"Okaa-san… Can we go now?" Sachimaru asked quietly.

Blinking in surprise at her son's unexpected request, Kagome stood up. "Are you sure you've had enough?" she asked. It was uncommon for Sachimaru to want to leave the park early.

He nodded at her, his expression betraying nothing. Still concerned but not knowing what she should do about it, she took his hand and began to walk towards the exit. Sachimaru has been a bit withdrawn ever since the news about demons hit the air and she wondered if it would affect his views on Sesshoumaru. Ever since that thought had occurred to her, she had banned him from watching the news.

Holding on to her son's hand, she crossed the road. For the last two days, shops had closed down earlier. The area had been less busy ever since the whole thing about demons had blown up, proof of the population's anxiety. It was worrying, Kagome thought as she walked down the side of the street, not really paying much attention to the few teenage boys perched on the railing in front of a closed shop.

One of them dropped to his feet when she and Sachimaru passed them.

"Look at his pointed ears and that hair. He can't be human. Hey, demon kid!" he yelled as his friends joined him.

Freezing on the spot, Kagome felt the rise of her anger at the taunts. This was _her_ son they were mocking. How dare they do such a thing? As she spun to face them, she reached out to Sachimaru, intent on protecting him from the teenagers.

To her surprise, instead of hiding behind her, Sachimaru walked around. Tilting his chin up proudly, he shot back, "Yes, I'm a demon. So what?"

The leader of the group blinked in surprise. "What? You're proud of it?"

"There's nothing for me to be ashamed of," Sachimaru declared firmly.

Kagome stood stock still. If there were any doubt at all in her mind that Sachimaru was Sesshoumaru's son, this event would definitely set things clear. The way Sachimaru had spoken back at the teenagers certainly displayed the sort of confidence and arrogance that she had come to associate with Sesshoumaru.

One of the younger teenagers made a face. "You are one sick kid."

"Hey, watch your mouth," Kagome snapped angrily.

"Why should I listen to a bitch who allowed herself to be fucked by a demon?" one of them sneered.

Kagome felt her blood boil. She could not believe that in this day and age, there were still people who were so close-minded. "And why is that any of your business?" she gritted out.

The teenager snorted. "Demons are not welcomed in this world. And you're just betraying your own kind."

"Demons were probably here even before us, you ignorant brat!" Kagome shot back.

Stepping closer, the teenager jeered, "So what? They're obviously weak, or else why did they bother to hide? They're scared of us."

Kagome could not help it. A bark of humorless laughter broke from her at the thought of what Sesshoumaru's expression would be like if he had heard this.

"What is so funny?" one of the snarled threateningly.

"Oh, forget it," Kagome dismissed, turning away to leave. "Come on, Sachimaru."

"Don't walk away from us!"

Annoyed, Kagome spun around. This time, before she could stop it, she growled at them. The teenager's eyes instantly widened in fear.

"She's growling. She's one of them…" the youngest one whispered.

They quickly backed away and then ran, much to Kagome's relief. It looked like they only dared to pick on Sachimaru because he was young, but when they thought that she was a demon, they did not have the guts to do it. Cowards.

Beside her, Sachimaru scowled. "They are stupid."

Kagome sighed. "They are just afraid of what they don't know."

Sachimaru sagged. "I know. Someone should just talk to them. Someone should explain. Demons are not always bad, right, Okaa-san?"

Recalling his proclamation earlier, she knelt before him. "You know you're a demon?" she asked carefully.

The boy blinked. "I guessed."

Choosing not to comment, she stood up and simply took his hand, continuing their journey home. She should not be surprised that Sachimaru had guessed. After all, her son has always been startlingly perceptive, she thought with a small smile.

* * *

Sesshoumaru willed himself not to tap his claws on the table even though he was growing increasingly impatient with the current discussions with the other three lords. This was pointless. They had gone in circles ever since he had arrived two days ago. 

It was prudent to meet in Akiyama's territory, considering that the concealment problem that plagued the demons had not affected the northern isle as much as the rest of Japan. Sesshoumaru surmised that it was due to the fact that those under Akiyama's rule had been provided with a form of concealment which differed from the one the rest of them used.

A method which no one knew anything about, Sesshoumaru thought grimly.

Did that mean that Naraku had planted a spy in Shiori's establishment? It was likely, Sesshoumaru thought furiously as he allowed the facts to run through his mind.

It was as he had thought. A spell had been hidden within the television programmes, broadcasting repeatedly until Inuyasha's team stealthily filtered them out just a few hours ago. For those who had been affected by the spell, they still could not bring it back up. No matter what they attempted, the concealment spell refused to function, even though the source of the failure had been found and eliminated.

Inuyasha had taken to wearing a cap whenever he left the mansion. And he, Sesshoumaru only traveled using his energy orb whenever he needed to be somewhere else. The rest of the demons who possessed visible demonic features were housebound unless they could travel unseen.

The grave expression of the four other lords around the table was just another proof of how serious the situation was.

"Can't we just make up a new batch of concealing spells?" Kouga asked irritably.

"It would serve no purpose. The humans are already aware of our existence," Akiyama pointed out.

Takeo turned to Kouga. "How did your demons managed to get themselves caught? And from the sounds of things, they are talking far too much."

Growling, Kouga snapped, "You think they let themselves be caught on purpose? Someone must have tipped the police off."

"Naraku's underlings must be the ones responsible for that," Akiyama remarked flatly.

Takeo slammed a fist on the table. "Where the hell is that bastard Naraku?" he boomed furiously. "I've sent out search teams but there's absolutely no clue of his whereabouts."

"He is in hiding," Sesshoumaru spat with distaste.

"Which is more than I can say for the rest of us," Kouga grumbled, his fangs clearly visible. "We should hide until this whole thing blows over."

"It's not possible to hide everyone, Kouga," Akiyama pointed out dryly. "The only other thing I can think of is to leave the country."

"We just need to get the concealing spell to work again," Takeo gritted out.

"Maybe something in the air is still affecting it," Kouga suggested with a frown.

Akiyama shook his head. "I've sent my team out to test air samples. There's nothing in the air that suggests that it is contaminated, apart from the usual pollution. And before you ask, there's nothing in the water either."

Takeo scowled. "Well, something needs to be done. It's fine for Kouga to walk around with his tail in his pants. And so long as he doesn't open his mouth, no one can tell he's a demon." Pointing to his face, Takeo continued, "I can't very well move anywhere with my bear features, can I? And neither could Sesshoumaru. You only need to take a look at all his hair and markings to know that he's a demon."

"Akiyama, whatever you're using as concealment, you'd better hand it over," Kouga grumbled.

"I would be glad to assist," the elemental replied smoothly.

"What do you want for it?" Takeo growled irritably.

Akiyama quirked a brow. "I have not considered payment yet."

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. "You will inform us of your price."

"Perhaps I simply wish for the continuation of our peace. However, you need to know that I am not able to provide concealment for the entire demon population in the West and East," the elemental said in a measured tone.

Kouga frowned. "Whatever it is, can't you just make more of it?"

Akiyama shook his head. "The concealment was a gift to those who pledged their lifetime loyalty to me. A small part of my youki is used in the process. To provide concealment for many demons would deplete my strength severely and I won't be able to regenerate enough to survive."

Sesshoumaru masked his surprise at the fact that the elemental allowed himself to be weakened for that expanse of time. Each time Akiyama used his youki to conceal a demon's heritage, his strength would be depleted until it was regenerated. It was most unwise of him.

"How is the concealment applied?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"My youki will be contained in a small vessel, such as a bracelet or a pendant. It works to conceal one's demonic heritage and scent when it is worn once I direct it to do so."

Perhaps this was the reason why most demons had chosen to use the spell provided by Tsukuyo Medical. After all, one could hardly lose a spell as opposed to losing a bracelet or a pendant. Unfortunately, it appeared that the Tsukuyo spell was more vulnerable to attacks. On the other hand, one would have to tamper with Akiyama youki in the vessel to disturb the alternative concealment.

"Just name your price, Akiyama," Takeo muttered. "It's not as if we have much choice right now."

"Anyway, you already have our alliance," Kouga pointed out with a frown. Glancing at Sesshoumaru and Takeo, he asked pointedly, "We're not planning to break the alliance anytime soon, right?"

"Hn."

Akiyama shook his head. "The alliance will remain unbroken. And I simply wish for it to continue to be so."

Sesshoumaru tensed when the elemental's blue eyes found his and to his annoyance, found a subtle challenge in those blue orbs. The issue with the miko instantly came to mind. It was obvious that Akiyama was recalling his threat a few days earlier. Akiyama did not wish for him to involve their alliance with the pursuit of the miko.

Takeo stood up and stretched, pushing his rounded stomach out even further. "Well, I'm going back to my room. We can continue this later."

Kouga followed him. "Yeah. See you in a while. I need to make some calls."

Kouga and Takeo left, leaving him and Akiyama to stare at each other across the conference table. The knowing expression on Akiyama's face riled him and Sesshoumaru had to force his features to reveal nothing. For a long while, they continued to stare at each other until finally, Sesshoumaru reached the end of his patience.

"You have made further contact?" he bit out.

The corner of Akiyama's lips tilted. "I presume you're referring to the miko."

"Hn."

"As a matter of fact, I have," Akiyama replied casually.

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to growl. The miko had said nothing to him about this encounter. Had he not specifically told her to avoid the elemental?

Akiyama shook his head slowly, understanding his thoughts. "You cannot command her or tell her to stop talking to me, Sesshoumaru. Such a thing would only backfire."

Eyes narrowing, Sesshoumaru intoned flatly, "She will obey."

Akiyama tilted his head to one side. "You don't know her very well, do you? The miko values her independence and would resent it if you choose to take that away from her. If you wish to court her, you should understand at least that much. Otherwise you're only going to make her miserable."

Sesshoumaru stiffened. Akiyama's voice rang with the truth.

Akiyama stood up. "My servants will serve dinner at the main hall tonight. I trust that you'd be able to locate it."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru responded absently. The elementals words were still echoing in his mind.

Would he be depriving the miko of her own choices, very much like his younger self had done? Was he doing the same thing now? He hasn't had the time to fully consider courting and mating the miko, but he knew that the notion pleased him. However, the idea of the miko being unhappy gave him an uncomfortable feeling.

Akiyama was right in that he should not force such a thing upon her. Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened with determination. Akiyama might not know it, but the elemental had just given him something which will tilt the balance between them. He would simply ensure that the miko were given enough information to make the correct choice.

Then Sesshoumaru stilled as something occurred to him. Something did not make sense. Why would Akiyama offer such advice to a rival? Was the elemental so confident of his success? Or perhaps he truly cared for the miko?

* * *

Kagome looked up at the familiar building before her, set against a backdrop of the morning sky. It did not take long for her to get from Tsukuyo Medical to the offices of IY Media and Entertainment. She had worked through the night but rather than being tired, she was filled with anticipation of meeting Inuyasha. She only hoped that Inuyasha was actually there. 

Stepping into the building, she waved at the security guard. "Good morning, Isamu!"

"Kagome?" the man exclaimed with surprise.

Grinning, she walked towards him. It was only then that she saw something that she had not noticed before; the sharp points behind Isamu's lips and the two red vertical slashes mostly hidden by his brown bangs. The expression in his eyes instantly turned wary when he noticed the direction of her gaze.

Understanding washed over her. "It's okay, Isamu. I know," Kagome assured in a quiet voice. "Sesshoumaru told me what happened with the concealment spell."

His lips parted in shock. "You know Mr. Taishou?"

Perhaps she shouldn't have mentioned Sesshoumaru. It would certainly raise questions. "We're kind of old friends. And this whole thing happened when he was at my place."

Grimacing, Isamu gestured around them. "More than half the building is empty. I just hope that this whole thing gets fixed soon. When the economy dips, the humans will see just how much we're entrenched in the society. Lots of demons can't turn up to work without their concealment. Thankfully here we have quite a number of half-demons, so we're not completely shut down."

"Don't worry, Isamu. I'm sure Sesshoumaru will figure out something. Say, is Inuyasha around? I want to surprise him."

Isamu inclined his head at the lift. "He's on the top floor."

"Thanks, Isamu."

With that, she made her way to the lift and went up the building. As she stood there alone, she bit her lips, wondering what she should say to the hanyou when she saw him. The last she remembered from her dreams, he had left the Western Lands to search for Tetsusaiga.

The lift slid to a halt at the top floor and she stepped out to find herself standing in a plush lobby decorated very much like the rest of the building. A secretary she did not recognize looked up from her desk. Kagome immediately realized that she must be a demon or a half demon from the slanted green eyes and the pointed ears. But still, if one was not looking carefully, she could pass as human.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm here to see Inuyasha," Kagome said.

Just then, a door to one side of the secretary opened and a flash of silver caught her attention. She glanced to the side to find Inuyasha staring at her. A red cap was perched on top of his head, completely at odds with the grey shirt and black slacks he was wearing. To Kagome's surprise, she instantly felt a rush of affection towards the gaping hanyou.

"You!" Inuyasha exclaimed incredulously.

Kagome fought to keep her face straight as she said, "I just thought you might be free today to take a stroll with me. You wanted to show me this village somewhere further south, remember?"

His eyes widened in disbelief as his mouth opened and closed soundlessly.

"After all, you kind of abandoned me with Sesshoumaru when you went off to hunt for Tetsusaiga," she continued blithely.

He blinked. "The dreams…"

She gave him a soft smile. "They are not dreams. They are memories which was somehow blocked from us."

"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered as he stepped away from the door. "It's really you!" he exclaimed just before he scooped her up in a bear hug. Releasing her, he gave her a sheepish grin, obviously embarrassed by his display.

She laughed as she returned his hug. "It has been a long time, Inuyasha."

His eyes flickered in confusion. "But how? I don't get it. It has been five centuries. Humans don't live that long."

"I know. I never told you where I came from, right?"

Inuyasha rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "I guess not. I just thought that you came from that village near the well."

Kagome shook her head. "I was born twenty years ago here in Tokyo. I accidentally fell into the well when I was fifteen. The well was a portal to your time five hundred years ago."

He gave her an uncertain look.

"Really," she insisted. "I just got back here a few years ago. Because I lost two years of school, I had to go to night classes and now I'm a paramedic in Tsukuyo Medical."

Inuyasha shook his head as if to clear it and the cap fell off his head to reveal his puppy-dog ears. Her fingers instantly twitched in reaction. Vaguely, she wondered if Inuyasha would mind if she tweaked them just one more time.

"I wouldn't have believed it if you are not standing in front of me," he remarked wryly, bending down to retrieve the cap and then shoving it back onto his head. "I thought I was going crazy with all those dreams of guarding a miko and babysitting Sesshoumaru's brat."

"Hey! Sachimaru is not a brat!" Then she gasped when she realized that in her dreams, Sachimaru had not been born yet. "You remember Sachimaru?"

"Keh! Of course."

"Then your dreams must be further on than mine or Sesshoumaru's," she mused contemplatively. It looked like hers and Sesshoumaru's were the slowest so far. Could it be because they had more things to remember? After all, she did not meet Inuyasha until much later.

Inuyasha's eyes rounded. "Sesshoumaru knows about this?"

She nodded.

"Why the hell didn't he tell me anything?" Inuyasha exclaimed belligerently. Then he scowled. "Right. I get it. The bastard probably didn't know it was real either."

"He knows that it was real for a while now, but he only found out who I am a few days ago," she explained.

Inuyasha took on a contemplative look before a smirk appeared on his lips. "I bet he was shocked, huh? Something like this must have shaken him quite a bit."

"You could say that."

Inuyasha grinned. "Wish I could have seen his face when he found out."

"Uh… he wasn't too happy at that time, to be honest," she muttered, remembering how angry Sesshoumaru had been when he found out that Sachimaru had disappeared.

As if on cue, Inuyasha asked, "Where's Sachimaru, by the way?"

"At home. You want to see him?"

Inuyasha grinned, his eyes flashing with unmistakable anticipation. "Yeah, why not? Where's home? I'll drive us there."

Before she could answer, he had already grabbed her arm, dragging her out of his office towards the lift. She told him where she lived as he pressed the panel on the wall. The lift descended several floors before the door opened and a familiar woman stepped in.

"Yura!" Kagome greeted as her eyes landed on the woman who had given her the tickets to the carnival. She wondered if Yura was another demon or half demon. There was no way of telling, seeing that Yura looked completely human.

"Hey, girl! Nice to see you back," Yura returned her greeting. Then, inclining her head pointedly at Inuyasha who was still hanging on to her arm, Yura warned, "You'd better be careful. He breaks hearts."

Kagome grinned at the dark-haired female. "Don't worry. Inuyasha knows how to keep his hands to himself."

Scowling, Inuyasha instantly released her arm. "Keh! Like I want to touch my brother's wench."

Yura's eyes widened in astonishment. "Did you just say what I thought I heard you say? Sesshoumaru? Kagome and Sesshoumaru are…But he never…" She paused, blinking in disbelief. "You and Sesshoumaru! Really?! When did this happen?"

Uncomfortable, Kagome forced out a laugh. "It's not quite like that, Yura."

Inuyasha gave her an odd look as he reclaimed her arm. When the lift stopped at the ground floor, he quickly dragged her along to the stairwell, preventing her from saying another word to Yura. When they were safely ensconced in his car, Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha.

"What's the hurry?"

"Yura likes to gossip and Sesshoumaru likes his privacy," Inuyasha said carelessly as he directed the car out of the parking area into the streets.

Her eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh." After a short pause, she asked, "So Yura was pretty surprised, huh? About Sesshoumaru?"

Taking his eyes briefly off the road, Inuyasha said, "Well, Sesshoumaru never hangs around females. So it'll be a surprise to most demons when they hear about you and him." Snorting, he continued, "I guess now we know why he never showed much interest in other females. He's got you, after all."

She lowered her eyes. "We don't have that kind of relationship, Inuyasha. You know that."

"Keh! All I know is that back then, he paid you more attention than anyone else. I would even go as far as to say that he's obsessed. But of course, being Sesshoumaru, he'd rather pretend nothing was happening than to admit it."

She gasped. Was Inuyasha actually telling the truth? Did he remember something that she didn't? "I don't think so. Sesshoumaru didn't remember me until recently."

Inuyasha frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe his subconscious did. It definitely ain't normal for a male to be so disinterested in females."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Of course you'd say that. You haven't changed a bit over the years, huh? Still sleeping around, I take it?"

He smirked. "What can I say? I'm good at it."

An exasperated groan escaped her lips. "I give up." Then she sat up straight. "Say, do you know where I can find Katsuo?"

"What do you want to find him for?" Inuyasha muttered darkly.

Kagome sighed at the mutinous look on Inuyasha's face. "Please don't tell me the two of you are still bickering after five hundred years."

"Keh!"

"So?" she prompted impatiently.

"So what?"

Kagome ground her teeth together. "Where can I find Katsuo?"

When Inuyasha finally replied, his tone was gruff. "He works at Taishou Securities. But if you want addresses and numbers, the best bet is Shiori. She has records of practically all demons under Sesshoumaru's domain."

She blinked at the slight flush on his cheeks. "What's wrong?" she asked curiously.

"Who said anything was wrong?" he retorted, obviously disgruntled.

Frowning, she tried to think of what could have possibly set this off. Was it the talk about Katsuo? Then her eyes widened when she remembered a certain conversation she had with Shiori before she knew that she was the miko in the dreams. When she told Shiori that Sesshoumaru wanted something from her that she couldn't give, the woman had said that it ran in the family.

"Is it Shiori?" Kagome prodded curiously.

The red flush on his cheeks deepened, confirming her suspicion. "What are you going on about?" he snapped irritably.

How curious, Kagome thought. Then she grinned inwardly. One day, she would find out what happened between the two of them.

* * *

They arrived at the Higurashi shrine a short while later. Inuyasha was so excited that she barely had a chance to catch a breath before he scooped her up in his arms and scaled the numerous shrine steps in a few leaps. She only prayed that no one had seen them. 

When her feet touched solid ground again, they were in front of her house. Sachimaru was there, swinging his bokken in the moves she had taught him. She wondered what Sesshoumaru would make of his son learning the Western warrior's moves from her.

"Okaa-san!" Sachimaru shouted exuberantly when he saw her.

Instantly, he ran over to give her a hug. Only then did he turn to look up at Inuyasha. Wordlessly, Sachimaru stared at him. There was no recognition in his eyes and Kagome's heart sank at the disappointment on Inuyasha's face.

"You don't recognize me, do you?" Inuyasha remarked wryly.

Wide-eyed, Sachimaru shook his head.

Inuyasha shuffled, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he muttered, "I guess you were pretty young then to remember anything."

Sachimaru looked confused. "Remember what?" he asked.

Kagome could not stand that look on Inuyasha's face. The hanyou obviously loved her son. She should tell Sachimaru. Never mind that neither she nor Sesshoumaru had explained anything to the boy yet. Anyway, Sachimaru was so perceptive that he had probably guessed Sesshoumaru's real identity. After all, he had guessed that he was a demon.

"Sachimaru, this is your uncle," Kagome interjected softly.

Sachimaru gasped. "Really?"

Inuyasha's expression lightened. Grinning, he remarked, "Can't you tell by our eyes and hair?"

"So you're a demon," Sachimaru remarked enthusiastically.

Inuyasha raised a brow. "Half-demon. Like you."

"I didn't know that," Sachimaru exclaimed before turning to grin at her. "You gave me my human half, right, Okaa-san?"

Kagome gaped at her son. Did the boy really understand what he had just said? Before she could say a word, Sachimaru continued to chatter to Inuyasha, bombarding him questions about his demon powers. Strangely enough, Sachimaru made no mention of his father.

Soon enough, Sachimaru was dragging Inuyasha up to his room to show off his games. Shaking her head indulgently, Kagome simply followed them up the stairs. Then deciding to change out of her work clothes, she went to her room. She immediately made a face at the mess which greeted her. Sighing reluctantly, she began to pick up her rumpled clothes from the bed.

While she was in the middle of placing her clothes back in her cupboard, she heard a sound at the door. Kagome turned around just as Inuyasha stepped in, his curious eyes scanning her room.

"I've got to head back to the office. Something cropped up." Then he paused. "What's that doing here?" he asked incredulously, walking towards her table.

Kagome blinked. "What?" she asked, following Inuyasha's gaze until her eyes landed on the chain and circular silver pendant in a small tray.

It was only then that it hit her. She had just seen it in her dreams not long ago. The broken chain with its pendant was something which Katsuo had worn. And Sachimaru had been wearing it until a few months ago when the chain broke. But why was Katsuo's chain with Sachimaru in the first place?"

"Keh! I remember now."

She swung around to face him. "What do you remember?" she prompted urgently.

"Katsuo gave it to Sachimaru as a gift."

Her eyes widened. "But that was a present from his own mother. How could he give it away?" she protested.

Inuyasha frowned. "You don't remember Sachimaru's first birthday?"

Kagome shook her head. "Not yet."

Golden eyes widened in comprehension, and then Inuyasha said gruffly, "We had a discussion sometime before Sachimaru's birthday."

"You and Katsuo?" Kagome exclaimed incredulously. "Having a discussion?"

Inuyasha's expression turned defensive. "So what? Not that I wanted to!" Then his tone gentled. "It's just that both of remember what it's like being hanyou pups. Things can get…uncomfortable."

Kagome frowned. "What do you mean?"

"We're neither fully human or demon, so our presence are not usually accepted by either side. Katsuo thought that the chain would protect Sachimaru. After all, that idiot Katsuo was big enough to protect himself."

"Oh!" she exclaimed softly.

Inuyasha looked uncomfortable. "All this mushy talk is giving me a headache. I'll catch you some other day, alright? I need to get back to work. Sesshoumaru left at the worst time."

"That trip to Hokkaido?" she asked as she followed him out of the room and down the stairs.

Inuyasha paused at the door. "Yeah. I guess he told you about the meetings between the old lords."

Kagome nodded. "You had better keep that cap on."

He nodded. "I'll come by again when I get a chance."

The moment Inuyasha's figure disappeared from sight, Kagome immediately ran back up to her room and picked up the chain and pendant. Sitting down on her bed, she stared it, fingering the smooth strands. With a start, she suddenly realized that those smooth strands were actually individual lengths of hair woven together. She frowned as she tried to remember what happened to the chain. It seemed too much of a coincidence that this chain had made it to the future with her and Sachimaru.

Then her eyes widened in realization.

If she was not mistaken, her dreams had begun soon after Sachimaru broke the chain.

A strange numbness came over her as she continued to stare at it. Could it be that the strands of hair had held the spell on their memories such that when it was broken, the memories returned? Her focus shifted onto the pendant. What about the pendant? Was it holding some sort of spell as well?

Her fingers curled around the smooth object as she steeled herself. There was only one way to find out.

Standing up, she ran downstairs into the kitchen. Her mother looked up curiously, but did not say anything when she retrieved a hammer from the toolbox in one of the cupboards. Hammer held in one hand, she placed the silvery pendant on the dining table.

Should she really do this? What if she set off something else?

"Kagome?"

She looked up to find her mother staring at her questioningly. Swallowing hard, she explained, "I think the chain held the spell to my memories, and when Sachimaru broke it, the memories returned." Turning her attention back to the pendant, she added, "And if I break the pendant…"

"You think it will give you more answers." her mother supplied.

Kagome nodded.

Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder. "Then you should do it," she said firmly.

Those words were enough to give Kagome the reassurance she needed. Giving her mother a grateful smile, Kagome said, "Thanks, Mom."

Taking a deep breath, she raised the hammer and brought it down.

The metal hit the pendant with a sharp burst of sound. For a moment, nothing happened. Then Kagome's eyes widened as cracks began to form from the centre of the pendant, quickly radiating outwards.

The air began to vibrate.

Then a brilliant burst of light blinded her.

* * *

A/N: More things to be resolved and explained in the next chapter! By the way, a few of you asked the same question, and I thought I should tell the rest. There will be no sequel to A Little Faith but I'm plotting another story. I'm aiming to upload it a few weeks after this one is done. It's early stages yet, set in canon universe and I was wondering about a few things. What is your view on bringing the original characters like Akiyama, Katsuo, Moriko and Natsumi back in the next story? Also, would you prefer if I do the story based on the ending of the anime, or somewhere further along in the manga? 


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu, Moriko and Eiko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing the last chapter. I'm sorry that I haven't replied individually to your reviews this week, but I've been a little busy. Also, thanks for the input for my next story. Majority has gone for anime-based story and the return of the original characters, so I'll plot the story around this!

This chapter is actually only half of the original chapter 19. I could have made thw whole thing shorter to fit, but finally decided that it didn't feel right, hehe! So after this one, there will be still 4 more chapters to go. Anyway, hope you'll enjoy this one.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 19**

Then a brilliant burst of light blinded her.

Reflexively, Kagome lunged to the side, throwing her arms around her astonished mother protectively as they sank together to the floor. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to ignore the crackle of power around her. A rumbling sound shook the walls and with growing horror, Kagome wondered what she had done.

Then her eyes shot wide open when the familiarity of the power hit her.

The crackling power… It was hers. A fraction of a second later, Kagome felt something rushing into her, filling her to capacity. Kagome's back arched at the intense surge. Her miko power was returning to her, she realized with a mixture of apprehension and excitement. Skin tingling and her entire body tense, Kagome rode out the waves until the last of the pearlescent light seeped into her.

Instantly, everything went eerily silent.

"Kagome…" Her mother's voice was shaky.

Realizing that she was still holding her mother in a death grip, Kagome immediately let go. Slowly, both of them stood up and glanced around the kitchen. Nothing was out of place and it was as if that strange event had not occurred at all.

She would have thought that the whole thing was just a figment of her imagination if she did not feel the familiar warmth in her veins. It was something that she had carried with her everyday while she was in the past. She had also felt it in the present but not to this extent. Which suggested that she had only held some of her miko powers in her body these three years while the rest was kept in the pendant.

Kagome glanced down at the broken pieces, frowning in confusion as she reached out to touch them. It was glowing slightly pink, like it had done when she had first seen it on Katsuo's neck. It must be the remnants of the protection spell, still intact even with the pieces broken.

Anticipation suddenly washed over her as she thought of something. Maybe her memories would return completely if she tried now. Focusing her concentration, she willed herself to remember.

Nothing came to her.

She groaned helplessly. "Nothing…" she muttered.

"It's not returning?" her mother asked. "What was that just now?"

Shaking her head, Kagome sighed. "That was my miko powers but I guess the memories will come back slower," she said dejectedly. "At least my power is back."

Everything felt as it should be, with the exception of a distinct sensation of being wrapped up in something. It must be the masking spell, she surmised grimly. The one that Sesshoumaru had mentioned before. Now how was she supposed to get rid of it when she did not even know how it got there in the first place?

Katsuo.

Katsuo must have been the one who had taught her.

She took a step towards the door only to find herself swaying unsteadily. Perhaps it was not such a good idea to go out, she thought grimly. Her body probably needed some rest after the sudden change.

She would find Katsuo tomorrow.

* * *

Sesshoumaru scowled inwardly as he made his way back to his suite in Akiyama's sprawling abode. 

This meeting had taken far too much of his time. The urge to see the miko and his pup was growing unbearable. Even though he spoke to her everyday over the phone, it seemed to be insufficient to quell his need. His only consolation was that Akiyama were unable to see the miko either.

Stepping into his suite, he shut the door behind him.

His attention was immediately drawn to object on the living room table. A grimace of distaste crossed his features as he eyed the face of the titanium timepiece, now swirling with a small portion of Akiyama's youki. It irked him to accept the elemental's assistance but he knew that it could not be avoided. Considering the current situation, it was imperative that he could move freely. As he strapped the watch to his wrist, his claws retracted. Sesshoumaru glanced up at the nearby mirror to find his magenta stripes and crescent moon slowly fading away.

As he sat down, the bold headline of the newspaper on the table mocked him. Picking it up, Sesshoumaru grimaced as he scanned the pages. It had only been a few days since he left Tokyo and it was getting worse by the day.

It reported that the human population was now split into two factions; one pro-demons and the other anti-demons. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed when he took in the fact that few more demons had been apprehended just last night. Fortunately, none of them were his underlings. Kouga and Takeo would simply have to come up with a way to release them.

Sesshoumaru tossed the newspaper carelessly to one side as he stood up to switch on the television. Instantly, the news channel came on, showing a polite debate between Diet members. Watching intently, Sesshoumaru noted that they were only broadcasting the watered down version of the truth.

From his spies in the political circle, Sesshoumaru knew that the Diet, which comprised of the lower and upper houses of the Japanese political system, were furiously debating the unveiling of demons in Japan. At the moment on the special news programme, one side argued that demons posed a danger, as evidenced by historical documentations which they had once dismissed in the past. The other side argued that demons had managed to live side by side with humans for centuries in peace, albeit under some sort of concealment, hence there was no reason why things could not continue that way.

Sesshoumaru recognized the debater. He was a human whose sister was mated to a demon under the care of Taishou Holdings. It pleased him that the man was attempting to calm the situation, even though he knew that the action was likely to be futile. As long as Naraku was out there, a resolution would not be reached.

Sesshoumaru frowned.

Although Naraku was still out of reach, the hanyou's schemes continued to make themselves known. He had sent a select number of those inuyoukai who used to be his scouts with the instruction to seek and contain those who were affiliated with Naraku and his plans. Who could possibly be aiding the hanyou in his schemes?

Even with Akiyama's, Kouga's and Takeo's resources, they were no closer to finding out the truth. The final meeting between them had happened this afternoon and Sesshoumaru allowed himself to mull over the issues. They had generally agreed that it would be better to warn the foreign lords to keep a tight hold on the situation in their respective countries, just in case this incident in Japan gave them ideas. Due to the urgency of the situation, the conference with the foreign lords had been pulled forward and will take place in a week's time.

It was during that discussion that Sesshoumaru had felt a faint surge of miko power. It was oddly familiar. However, it could not possibly be the miko he knew considering that they were not even in Tokyo.

Absently, Sesshoumaru wondered if the miko and his son would like to join him next week. With everything that was happening, he felt better if the miko and his pup were close by. Leaving them in Tokyo while he attended the conference with the foreign demon lords left a bitter taste in his mouth.

* * *

Kagome grinned inwardly as she recalled the expression on Shiori's face this morning when she explained why she needed to know where to find Katsuo. It was an understatement to say that Shiori was surprised to find out that she was a miko. 

She had thought to call Sesshoumaru but she had no doubt that the taiyoukai would insist that she waited for him to come with her. The last thing she needed was for Sesshoumaru to hover over her shoulders when she was trying to talk to Katsuo. Anyway, considering their relative statuses, it was highly unlikely that Katsuo would talk freely with Sesshoumaru around.

Thankfully, Shiori had Katsuo's information on record, Kagome thought as she watched the houses and apartments speeding by. They were close, she realized when the taxi slowed down.

"We're here, Miss," the driver declared, glancing at through the mirror.

Kagome leaned forward with a handful of money. "Here. Thank you." With that, she opened the door and climbed out of the taxi to find herself standing in front of a block of luxury apartments.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed the buzzer which had the word Tanaka inscribed on it.

A female voice came out of the intercom. "Tanaka residence."

For a moment, Kagome could not speak. The voice on the other side of the intercom belonged to Natsumi. "Is that you, Natsumi?"

Silence greeted her. Then came a hesitant, "K-Kagome?"

Kagome instantly grinned. "You remember me, huh?" Then she heard a sharp inhalation of breath from Natsumi.

"Wait."

Static came over the intercom and then nothing. A moment later, the door in front of Kagome was pulled open to reveal an astonished blonde inuyoukai.

"Kagome, it's really you…" Natsumi breathed out.

"I guess you and Katsuo are now mated, huh? Seeing that this is the address I got for him."

Natsumi gaped. "The dreams?" she sputtered.

Kagome nodded. Then she laughed when Natsumi threw her arms around her. "It's good to see you again. Those dreams are just our memories trying to come back," she explained.

Pulling back, Natsumi exclaimed, "Really? Both Katsuo and I thought we were going mad!" Grabbing her hand, Natsumi said, "Come on inside. He'd be so surprised."

Laughing, Kagome allowed herself to be led into the building and up a short flight of carpeted stairs.

"Come on in," Natsumi invited as she entered an apartment.

Stepping in, she was instantly surrounded by a delicious scent of food. It was coming from the kitchen. Just as her eyes went in that direction, a familiar figure walked out, clad in a white t-shirt and jeans. As Kagome watched, the grey-haired hanyou's eyes rounded incredulously as he paused mid-motion in wiping his hands on the apron. He must have been cooking, she surmised, somewhat amused that the strong warrior was actually doing such a domestic thing.

"Look who's here!" Natsumi exclaimed.

Katsuo's mouth opened and shut without a single sound.

Grinning, Kagome walked towards him. "You don't remember me?"

Beside her, Natsumi released a snort. "Snap out of it, Katsuo. It's Kagome. Those dreams are real!"

Katsuo's eyes flickered momentarily and then they narrowed in suspicion. "It's real? How?" he asked. "You don't carry Kagome's scent."

Natsumi blinked in confusion as she turned around. "Why is your scent masked?"

"You're far too trusting, Natsumi," the hanyou hissed. Eyes not leaving her, Katsuo pushed Natsumi behind him.

The grin slipped off Kagome's face. He did not believe her, she thought with a sinking feeling. She supposed that it was to be expected. Considering the current situation with the demons, it was not surprising that Katsuo was cautious. She did not have such a hard time convincing Inuyasha, though.

Katsuo's tone was harsh when he snapped, "Answer the question. If you're who you claim to be, then why is your scent masked?"

Grimacing, Kagome said, "Ah… that. Actually, I kind of hope you can help with that. I don't know how I ended up with the mask."

Wariness emanated from Katsuo as he gave her a hard look. "Who are you?"

Kagome threw her arms up in frustration. "Katsuo, I'm not lying. Tell me how to remove the scent-masking and then you'll know me."

An indecisive look flashed across Katsuo's features.

Her eyes troubled, Natsumi grabbed her mate's arm. "Katsuo, just tell her," she said quietly. "Then we'll know, right?"

"What is the worst thing that could happen, Katsuo? You're definitely stronger than I am," Kagome coaxed. She really needed him to believe her.

His lips thinned slightly. "Very well. If this is a trick, I will not go easy on you, female or not."

"I remember our training sessions, Katsuo."

His eyes flickered. Then he gestured towards her. "Do you feel the mask around you?"

Kagome nodded.

"Focus on it. You should find a seam somewhere." His eyes glinted. "The location is unique to each miko. Tell me where is yours."

Knowing that she was being tested, Kagome concentrated on it. Soon she felt an area of the mask near her left hand which seemed more fragile. That must be it, she decided.

"My left hand."

Katsuo blinked in surprise. In a gentler tone, he continued, "Keep your focus on that hand and pull back the mask into it."

Taking a deep breath, Kagome closed her eyes and proceeded to do as instructed. Slowly she felt the easing of the tightness around her as the invisible film slid across her skin, converging towards her left palm. She heard a gasp from Katsuo but she kept her focus on her task until she could no longer feel the mask.

When she opened her eyes again, Katsuo and Natsumi were standing right in front of her.

"It's really you," Katsuo whispered.

"I told you," Natsumi pointed out dryly.

Ignoring his mate, Katsuo asked, "How did this happen?"

Kagome proceeded to explain what she thought had happened with their memories. How she had ended up in the past and had somehow been transported back to the present three years ago. As she continued with her explanation, she watched Katsuo's and Natsumi's expression clear in understanding.

When she paused, Katsuo groaned. "I should have known."

Kagome frowned in confusion. "Known? But how?"

Katsuo slapped his hand on his forehead. "Kagome, you told me where you were from, but I didn't believe you. I dreamt about it, but it escaped my mind until now."

Wide-eyed, Kagome gasped. "I told you? Really?"

Katsuo nodded. Then he adopted a thoughtful look. "That pendant and the chain. I gave it to Sachimaru for his first birthday."

Natsumi gasped. "Is Sachimaru okay?"

"Sachimaru is at home." Giving Katsuo an apologetic look, Kagome added, "It was only after he broke the chain that the memories returned in bits and pieces. I'm sorry Katsuo but I broke the pendant yesterday."

"Why?" the hanyou asked, obviously bewildered. "It's meant to protect Sachimaru from harm."

"I know." Then she lifted a hand. Concentrating, she allowed a little bit of her familiar miko powers to rise. "My powers only came back to me after I broke the pendant. Most of my powers were locked inside the pendant."

"How is that possible? It shouldn't do something like that. No one can tamper with it unless they possess miko powers," Katsuo exclaimed.

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know."

Natsumi glanced at Katsuo. "There wasn't a miko around at that time except Kagome, right? At least, not one near us."

"It's odd," he muttered.

A ringing sound pierced the air suddenly and all three of them swung around to the source. The telephone mounted on the wall near them was ringing.

Kagome watched silently as Katsuo picked up the cordless phone. She was a little wary of phones nowadays, considering that each time Sesshoumaru picked his up in her presence, something had gone wrong.

"Yes, Mr. Taishou," Katsuo said into the mouthpiece.

Kagome's eyes widened. It was Sesshoumaru on the other end of the line. From the way Katsuo was listening, she could only guess that he was being told something quite serious. But then again, Katsuo was always serious when Sesshoumaru was around. And all those time five hundred years ago, she had only ever seen Katsuo being respectful towards Sesshoumaru and never as friendly as he was with her. A small smile crossed her lips. Some things just never changed.

"I've just found out that the dreams were real." A short pause followed before Katsuo continued, "Kagome came to see us." Another pause followed. "Yes, she's still here." Katsuo nodded and then said, "I will carry out your instructions."

Lifting the phone away from him, Katsuo turned. Extending the phone to her, he said, "Mr. Taishou would like to speak to you."

Surprised, Kagome took the phone from him and pressed it to her ear. "Sesshoumaru?"

"Miko."

She glanced at her two friends, who were staring at her inquisitively. Couldn't they be a little more discreet about their curiosity? "Uh… How are you?" she asked, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. She shouldn't be, considering that he practically called her everyday. Having her friends staring at her like that was a little unnerving.

Natsumi obviously sensed her discomfort because she quickly pulled Katsuo away into the kitchen. Kagome relaxed slightly.

"I am well. Is everything fine with you and Sachimaru?" Sesshoumaru queried.

She wanted to tell him everything, until she realized that she wanted him in front of her when she broke the news of her powers. "We're okay. How long more are you going to be in Hokkaido?"

"I will return tonight. I shall see you then."

"But what about your markings?"

"It is concealed for the moment."

"Oh," she murmured slowly. She did not realize until now just how much she preferred for him to wear his natural features. Still, it could not be helped.

"You are displeased?" He sounded amused.

Kagome sighed. "I guess it's nice to see your markings again. Oh, by the way, I've got a surprise for you."

"Is that so? What is the nature of this… surprise?"

"It won't be a surprise anymore if I tell you, right?"

"Very well."

Kagome was smiling when she hung up.

* * *

The shrine steps loomed before him. Too impatient to walk up, Sesshoumaru glanced around to ensure that there were no witnesses before he transformed into his orb. In a fraction of a second, he was at the front door. 

The moment he took on his corporeal form, Sesshoumaru froze.

It was faint but there was no mistaking the scent reaching his nose. All at once, everything that was the miko and his son crashed over him, making him realize that his feelings were more intense that he had realized. Visions of the past bombarded his mind, reminding him of every thing he had felt each time he held the pregnant miko's body close to him. His lips lifted slightly in remembrance. Ever since his younger self had discovered the truth and come to his senses, the dreams had been less aggravating.

The door swung open to reveal the miko. He could only stare at her wordlessly as her familiar peach scent enveloped him fully. He knew who she was without her scent but its return has the effect of sending warm tingles of recognition in his senses. When did this happen? How did this happen?

"Sesshoumaru," the miko greeted cheerfully, completely unaware of the mayhem within him. "Come in. I'm almost done."

"Demon begone!" the old man yelled, brandishing a handful of ofudas in his face.

Sesshoumaru instantly streaked away from the disturbing human.

"Jii-chan!" the miko admonished.

"Sesshoumaru-san," the miko's mother greeted briefly before disappearing back into the kitchen.

A smaller version of the miko peeked around the kitchen door, wearing a look of wonder. He must be her brother, Sesshoumaru surmised. "So, you're that demon, huh?" the boy remarked.

"I'm a demon too!" Sachimaru declared, running down the stairs.

Sesshoumaru simply blinked at the commotion. He did not expect his presence to throw the household into chaos. However, considering that this was the miko's home, perhaps such occurrences were considered normal. It would give one a certain perspective of how the miko turned out to be the way she was.

Sesshoumaru inhaled deeply, allowing Sachimaru's scent to fill his senses and in turn, enhancing the warm glow in his chest. "Are you prepared?" he asked the miko calmly as he bent down to run his hand over the silver head of his beaming son.

Returning with a pair of black sandals in her hand, the miko nodded. Turning around after she had slipped into her sandals, she held a hand out to the pup, who gave her a smile before he took the proffered hand. Gesturing around her helplessly, she said, "Sorry about... you know. We can go now."

"Hn."

As they walked down the shrine steps, Sachimaru bounded ahead of them at an admirable speed. There were so many questions he wished to ask her that for a moment, he did not know how to begin. Then he finally settled for the most obvious.

"Your scent has returned," he remarked.

She turned around, flashing a grin at him. "You noticed, huh?"

"Indeed."

She looked up at him with a shining pair of brown eyes and to Sesshoumaru's astonishment, his heart lurched. The potency of her scent was inflicting significant impact on his person. In an odd way, he felt as if all his senses were tuned to it. Then he stilled when he noticed something else. He had been so caught up with her scent that the faint pearlescent hue around her body had failed to register until now. He had been away for a few days and she had somehow managed not only to regain her strength but also her powers?

"Your miko powers as well."

She nodded vigorously as they stepped up to his car. Sachimaru was already there, waiting impatiently. As he let them into the car, Sesshoumaru said, "Explain."

When she recounted how she had broken the pendant and later, sought Katsuo to help her remove the masking spell, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in shock. With a jolt, he remembered the flare of miko power while he had been in the meeting. He knew that she was strong but she was stronger than he had realized if he could feel her all the way from Hokkaido.

It was clear that the pendant had been used to contain the miko's power to provide the chain with the necessary power to suppress everyone's memories. As far as he knew, only mikos were capable of infusing a spell within objects, as well as a handful of demons.

His eyes narrowed when he realized that Akiyama was one of those demons. Could it be that Akiyama was the one who had tampered with their memories five hundred years ago? Why should he? Besides, Akiyama himself had suffered from the memory loss. Unless of course, he was simply faking it. Still, it did not make sense. If Akiyama truly retained his memories, he would have approached the miko long before. Why wait three years to make his move?

Realizing that he would not have his answer until their memories returned fully, Sesshoumaru frowned. He disliked waiting. However, it would seem that he did not have a choice.

* * *

Soon after dinner, Sesshoumaru decided to bring them to a small, protected forested area at the outskirts of the city. With no access allowed to the public, the reserve has retained its natural beauty. 

Walking along the bank, he watched the surface of the lake as it glittered under the moonlight. The miko steps were soft as she walked beside him in companionable silence while Sachimaru ran some distance ahead. The pup would be safe, for he did not sense any threat in the vicinity.

"By the way, I went to see Inuyasha yesterday."

He raised a brow. "Is that so?"

She smiled. "When I saw Inuyasha the first time when I was temping, before I knew who he was, I thought that Sachimaru might be the son Inuyasha had with some random girl who decided to abandon him."

"He's not Inuyasha's son," Sesshoumaru declared with absolute certainly.

"How can you be so sure?" she teased.

Surely the miko was jesting. "The mark on his forehead is similar to the one my mother possesses."

"Oh yeah, I forget sometimes that you don't share the same mother." She frowned. "I vaguely remember hearing something about Inuyasha's past but now it's not clear in my mind. The memory thing is annoying."

"Have you attempted to force it to return?"

"I tried that last night but the flashes are all broken up and I couldn't make sense of it. The dreams are still coming every night, though. So I think I'm just going to wait until it all comes back instead of trying to force it."

"What is the last thing you remember?"

She flushed and looked away.

Sesshoumaru prompted impatiently, "What was it?"

She laughed uncomfortably. "We were on your cloud and you… erm…" she faltered into silence and looked away, lengthening her steps as if to escape him.

Reaching out, he closed his fingers around her arm. She immediately stilled but kept her eyes averted. Whatever the dream was, it could not be pleasant. At least not as pleasant as the one he had experienced a few nights ago. His eyes immediately went to her lips, wondering if she still tasted the same. And whether or not she would moan breathily against him as he nipped her pink flesh.

Noticing the rising heat in his body, Sesshoumaru forcibly pulled away from the memory. Much as he wished to taste her again, he needed to focus on the miko in front of him instead of mulling over the past. Then he frowned when he recalled the miko mentioning his cloud just moments ago. Could it be that the same memory had returned to her last night?

"Miko," he prompted, suppressing his amusement. "You may tell me."

She lifted her eyes. "You kissed me," she admitted quietly. "You probably don't remember."

He tensed. Why should she think such a thing? "I remember, Miko." His voice was quiet.

Her startled eyes shot up to his. His gaze immediately landed on her parted lips. He did not consider his action. He simply reacted.

Fingers tangling in her hair, he pulled her unresisting form closer. She sucked in a sharp breath just as he lowered his head. His mind instantly clouded with desire the moment his lips touched hers. Growling low in his throat to match the soft whimper from hers, he deepened the kiss, delving in with his tongue to caress hers. Her teeth scraped his lips as she responded passionately.

Her blunt fingers were digging into his back, making him wish that there were nothing between them so that he could feel her skin. Blood roaring in his veins, he dragged his lips away from hers only to begin a slow descend down her jaw to her neck. Her pulse throbbed against his tongue as he licked it and her breathy moan brushed his ears. Thick and sweet, the scent of her arousal invaded his senses.

A shiver of yearning ran up his spine as he grazed his fangs on her skin. His mind was filled with nothing but the urge to mark her as his. Perhaps he should. Then the miko would have no choice but to accept him as a mate. And this time, he would not be so foolish as to break the bond. The infuriating elemental would then have to stay away from his miko.

Indecision coursed through Sesshoumaru when Akiyama's words broke into his haze. If he marked her now, he would not be allowing her a choice. Did he really want to do such a thing?

Sesshoumaru pulled back slightly, gritting his teeth as he fought to control himself. No, he would not make the same mistake again. The stakes were too high.

"Sesshoumaru?" the miko whispered huskily.

He shifted slightly to nuzzle her ear. His voice was strangely ragged when he said, "I wish to continue this. But if I do, you might be displeased at the consequences."

"Oh."

Sesshoumaru lifted his head to look into her confused eyes. His entire body instantly protested at being denied fulfillment. The miko did not seem that pleased either.

As he glowered inwardly, a breathless Sachimaru raced towards them. Holding the miko securely by his side, Sesshoumaru turned around. His irritation instantly dissipated at the bright gleam of excitement in his son's eyes. It was just as well that the pup has returned. This was hardly the appropriate place to mark the miko, especially without her consent.

Sesshoumaru's lips twitched as Sachimaru began to tell them about the wildlife he had spotted. Sesshoumaru did not recall being this active when he was a pup. Sachimaru must have inherited this trait from the miko. Glancing at her, he noticed that she was wearing a thoughtful expression. Realizing that she must be mulling over their earlier kiss, he decided that it would be wise to distract her from over-thinking the situation.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "I have to take leave on a trip next Wednesday."

She blinked up at him, as if his words had not registered. Then her eyes cleared. "Oh? Anywhere interesting?"

"It's for business. The meetings are set up on a private island. But I would like you and Sachimaru to come with me."

As the miko's eyes widened, Sachimaru gasped in excitement. "Really, Sesshoumaru-san?"

"Hn."

"Okaa-san, please say yes!" Sachimaru urged, bouncing on his feet.

The miko glanced between him and the pup. Slowly, a wry smile formed on her lips. "You two are ganging up on me. Again."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Indeed."

As it should be. He wondered if the pup remembered him subconsciously. After all, they shared the same blood and perhaps his inuyoukai senses have picked up on it. His inhaled deeply, allowing the signature scent of his son to flood his senses once again.

Instantly, a certain memory flashed across his mind.

* * *

The pup would arrive very soon and Sesshoumaru was filled with a feeling of anticipation. He could now sense the pup's scent, telling him what he already knew, that the miko was carrying the heir of the Western Lands. However, today it was particularly strong, mixing in with the miko's own peach scent. 

"Stop sniffing me."

Sesshoumaru stilled. It was only then that he realized that his nose was buried in the miko's hair. She was seated on his lap for her usual backrub, a ritual which they had adopted every evening before she went to sleep.

She shifted slightly to look over her shoulders at him and Sesshoumaru had to will himself not to react to the sensation of her curvaceous body rubbing against him. As of late, he had been experiencing many of these inexplicable urges. Could this be simply due to the fact that the miko was the mother of his pup?

"Miko, be still," he cautioned as she moved on his lap.

Rolling her eyes, she returned to her previous position.

As he rubbed her lower back absently, Sesshoumaru allowed himself to mull over their odd relationship. He realized that he was attempting to carry out the duties required of a mate, albeit the non-sexual aspect of it. Strangely enough the notion did not unsettle him.

What unsettled him was the Northern Lords frequent visits to the Western Lands. The Northern Lord seemed to have developed an unhealthy obsession towards the miko. Instead of the waning interest that Sesshoumaru had expected, Akiyama seemed to have grown much too fond of appearing in the Western Land uninvited. It had happened regularly at least twice every cycle of the moon.

Sesshoumaru glowered inwardly when it occurred to him that Akiyama would not have done so if he had refused the elemental the right to court the miko in the first place. At this point, he could no longer stop the elemental from courting her. Unless of course, he wished to battle the elemental. Such a thing would no doubt throw the North and the West into chaos, considering that they were equally powerful.

Was the miko worth the risk?

He glanced down at her, noting that she had fallen asleep. Carefully, he shifted her off his lap to place her onto the futon. She made an snuffling noise as she turned to her side, eliciting an odd feeling of warmth from him.

Battling with Akiyama has its appeal. However, the rational part of him pointed out that it would be a foolish undertaking.

If the courtship were to be halted, it would have to be by the miko. Perhaps once the pup was born, she would see that it was inappropriate for her to continue with the courtship.

* * *

Kagome bit her lips as she waddled next to Akiyama. She was getting uncomfortably big, she thought irritably. Walking Akiyama to the gate to say goodbye was no longer an easy task. But she refused to sit down all the time as if she was an invalid. 

"This is not necessary, Kagome," Akiyama said with a frown, pausing halfway between the castle and the gate. "You should not be walking about in your condition. Let me bring you back."

Swatting his hands away, she rolled her eyes. "At least I have some privacy now that everyone knows that I can barely walk, let alone run away. As if I can run away anyway. Sesshoumaru would just sniff me out and bring me back," she muttered. "It's just not fair, him and the rest being dog demons."

"Yes, it is that which gives them such an advantage over other demons. I would not be able to track you in such a manner."

"Aren't you at a bit of a disadvantage?" she asked curiously.

He chuckled. "I possess other strengths."

"Like what?"

"You are certainly nosy," he remarked wryly.

She gave him a baleful look. "Are you going to tell me or not?"

He tilted his head to one side as he regarded her thoughtfully. "My influence is different as I can exert power over all forms of water and water-based creatures. I am also gifted with empathy."

Kagome's eyes bulged. "You can read my thoughts?" she exclaimed, aghast.

Chuckling, he shook his head. "No. It's not quite that simple. I think it's better explained by example. With his enhanced hearing and sense of smell, Sesshoumaru is able to speculate on someone's emotions from their heartbeat and the scent one emits. In some ways, I can achieve the same thing by keeping my mind open so that I can understand one's emotion."

She frowned. "I'm not sure I understand. It sounds awfully complicated."

"Perhaps it is," he said, looking at the gates. "You better go back in now."

Kagome turned to face the castle. "I guess."

"I will visit you again when I can," he said, leaning down to brush his lips softly against her cheek. "Until then, make sure you take care of yourself and the pup."

She squeezed his hand. "I will."

She watched as his figure grew smaller and smaller before she turned away to walk back to the castle. Her progress was infuriatingly slow.

Sesshoumaru suddenly appeared, startling her.

"Sesshoumaru?"

His expression completely blank when he asked, "The Northern Lord has left?"

She nodded.

Without another word, he lifted her into his arms and streaked across the castle to his study. Kagome's eyes shot wide open as she stifled her gasp. Soon, she found herself being lowered down to a new pile of cushions at the corner of his study where the bound scrolls were kept.

"Um, Sesshoumaru? Can I go back to my room?"

He barely glanced at her as he settled back behind his low table. "The pup's birth is imminent. It is best that you remain close."

She blinked. He sounded almost… concerned.

Sesshoumaru had been treating her a lot better recently. He was attentive but he did not smother her. He had also stopped being as cold to her, instead reverting back to how he had treated her before they found out about the solution to break the mating bond.

It was an understatement to say that she was a little bewildered by Sesshoumaru's change in attitude. It was odd because he had been nothing short of icy towards her after he had found out that she was pregnant. After his sudden cold indifference, his attentiveness was rather unnerving. Like today, it was as if he had been watching her. How else could he know that she was finding it difficult to get back to the castle?

Should she be suspicious of his motives? She shrugged, deciding that she could always ask. It was not as if she held her tongue around him.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He looked up from the table, raising a questioning brow.

"Why are you so nice to me?" she asked, wondering how he would take the question.

He stiffened visibly in response. Then his eyes became shuttered. It was a look which she recognized. The one which told her that he had no intention of answering her. Irritated, a scowl crossed her face.

"Oh come on, Sesshoumaru. You didn't think I wouldn't notice, did you?" she prodded.

He gave her a steady look, but remained silent.

"You know I'm not going to stop until you answer me," she persisted.

"You will not wish to know."

"Obviously I do or else I wouldn't be asking, right?" she shot back.

"Hn."

She sighed in frustration. "Please?"

He stood up and walked towards her. Her gaze followed him until he knelt down beside her. Their eyes locked, and Kagome felt her breath hitch at his proximity. She had thought that her body's reaction to him had come from the mating bond. But the mating bond was gone and she still felt the same heat rushing through her veins at his closeness. She felt it every night when he gave her the backrub and there was no mistaking her reaction when he had kissed her that time.

She grimaced inwardly. It was growing increasingly clear that she held some attraction towards him, but when did it begin?

Without breaking eye contact, he began, "This Sesshoumaru did not know who sired the pup until recently."

Her brow furrowed with confusion. "What do you mean?"

His eyes flickered. With obvious reluctance, he continued, "Until a few weeks ago, this Sesshoumaru thought that Katsuo could have sired the pup."

Kagome gasped. "You thought that Katsuo and I…"

There was a strain in his voice when he said, "It had been brought to this Sesshoumaru's attention that such was not the case."

"You couldn't have just asked, right?" she snapped, growing increasingly agitated.

"Miko…" he growled, looking unsettled.

All this time, he thought that she had sex with Katsuo. A coldness washed over her when she realized that the only other time Sesshoumaru had been so nice was just before the mating. After that, he had turned so cold on her even to the extent of trying to make her have sex with Katsuo. Although she had hoped that he had not intention of making her do it for real, now she was certain that he had fully intended for her to go through with it. Katsuo had been right in that Sesshoumaru did not know that other forms of betrayal could break the bond.

What sort of person did that to another? He obviously did not care for her. And the only reason he was being so nice was because he wanted his child to remain in the Western Lands. This whole thing had nothing to do with her. She was simply someone he used to get what he wants. The kiss had only been something he used to prove a point.

She withdrew into herself. A pain similar to what she had felt when the bond broke returned to her, causing a lump to form in her throat. Calm down, Kagome, she told herself. This could not be good for the baby.

It was aright, she told herself as she took a deep breath. She just has to be more careful around him. It was up to her to make sure that she did not do something stupid like trust him or fall in love with him.

* * *

The fact that the miko was sufficiently intelligent and eloquent to hold his attention during their heated debates had always astounded Sesshoumaru. At that very moment however, he only wished that she would restrain her tongue and simply obey. 

"I'm not moving, Sesshoumaru! It hurts!"

"Miko, you cannot give birth this pup in the hotsprings," he gritted out impatiently.

"Don't look this way! I'm not dressed."

He took a deep, calming breath. She was behaving as if he had not seen her nude prior to this day. He would deign to be patient with her, considering the circumstances. However, patience would do her more harm seeing that their pup was ready to come into the world.

"Do not be foolish, Miko. You will harm yourself and the pup if you do not remove yourself from the hotsprings this instance."

"It hurts," she moaned.

Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Sesshoumaru stepped into the hotsprings, uncaring that his kimono was quickly becoming waterlogged. The miko needed to be brought to her chambers before she harmed herself and their pup. When he reached her, her eyes were squeezed shut, her arms clutching her swollen stomach.

She only offered a whimper of distress when he wrapped his arms under her and launched both of them into the air. Landing on the bank, he streaked swiftly to her chambers. By now, she was gasping for air and her hands were fisted tight around the front of his kimono.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he noted Inuyasha's approach. The hanyou had only returned from one of his quests to locate Tetsusaiga a few days ago. Inuyasha halted in his steps as he took in the form of the miko.

"Summon Natsumi and the midwife!" Sesshoumaru barked as he pulled the miko closer to him, mindful that she was nude.

Inuyasha's eyes widened in comprehension before he disappeared.

Soon, the miko was enclosed in her chambers with Natsumi and an elderly inuyoukai midwife, leaving him and Inuyasha waiting outside. Sesshoumaru could hear the miko's groans of pain and each time she called out, he felt an answering twist of distress in his chest.

"Stop pacing already! You're giving me a headache!" Inuyasha snapped.

Sesshoumaru snarled at the hanyou. He could still hear the noises from inside her chamber and it was making him increasingly edgy. His mind told him that she and the pup would be fine but his instincts clamored for him to observe for himself that that was the case.

"Kagome is strong, alright. So quit worrying," Inuyasha said gruffly.

Swirling around, Sesshoumaru leveled a disdainful look at the hanyou. "This Sesshoumaru is not worried."

Inuyasha smirked. "Sure. I believe you."

Deciding to ignore the infuriating hanyou, Sesshoumaru swung his attention back to the closed shoji screen. What was taking them so long?

The moment Sesshoumaru heard a squeal and a cry from the pup, he shoved the shoji screen to the side and strode in. His gaze immediately went to the miko holding a small body bundled in a white cloth. Sweeping past the two demonesses, Sesshoumaru went to the miko's side.

"Leave," he told the midwife and Natsumi without taking his eyes off the pup.

He could not see much of the pup except a pink, scrunched up face and a shock of silver hair but he could sense the youki flowing from the small form. The pup was male, Sesshoumaru realized. Not only that, the pup appeared to be more demon than human, based on the youki surrounding him, threaded by a faint tinge of miko powers. This pup would no doubt be powerful.

And the pup was his.

His eyes went up to meet the miko's glistening brown ones.

"Sesshoumaru. Meet Sachimaru, our son," she whispered.

He reined in his surprise. She named their pup? Did she not know that it was customary for the sire to name the pup? However, the joyful light in her eyes prevented him from admonishing her. It did not mean that he agreed with her choice. Sachimaru was certainly not an appropriate name for a warrior. Still…

"The name is acceptable."

* * *

They were at it again, Kagome thought indulgently as she followed her son's progress across the courtyard. 

Sachimaru was on his hands and knees, crawling at an unbelievable speed towards his father. Sesshoumaru simply walked on, pretending as if he did not know Sachimaru was behind him even though Kagome knew fully well that the taiyoukai was completely aware of his son. They were having one of their playtimes.

Sesshoumaru was a wonderful father. Anyone could tell that he was completely enamored by Sachimaru from the way his eyes gleamed with love whenever they landed on Sachimaru. The best thing was, Sesshoumaru participated fully in everything that involved his son.

Kagome could not have imagined a better father for her son.

The only mar in the perfect picture was that she was not his mate. It was as if she was simply a breeder, someone who had supplied Sesshoumaru with his heir. She bit her lips, deciding that perhaps that was not a fair assessment on her part. Maybe she was just irritated that he did not want more.

After all, Sesshoumaru had not excluded her in anything they did. In fact, he had not stopped being 'nice' to her.

It was her who still held some reserve towards him after that conversation few days before she gave birth to Sachimaru. She was scared of his effect on her and she knew it. Still, she could not help feeling wary of him. Too many things had happened between them for her to trust him fully.

Glancing up at the blue sky, she sighed. What should she do now? Sachimaru was obviously attached to his father and there was no way she could leave without her son. Did that mean that she would have no choice but to stay in the Western Lands? But she missed her mother, grandfather and her brother. She wanted them to see her son. But was that even possible? Could Sachimaru go through the well in the first place?

What about Akiyama? He was still courting her all these months and she had to admit that she held some affection towards the elemental. But was it enough for her to go with him to the Northern Lands? What would happen to Sachimaru if she decided to accept Akiyama? Would Sesshoumaru be content with the idea of Sachimaru splitting his time between his two parents?

Somehow she did not think so.

Such a thing was more frequent five hundred years in the future but it was probably unheard of in this era. Even then, the idea left a sour taste in her mouth. Something about it simply was not right.

She sighed heavily, deciding that she was thinking in circles.

Maybe she should just stop thinking about it and go with the flow. If she had to stay, then she would stay.

For Sachimaru's sake.

* * *

Sesshoumaru watched the miko silently from his seated position behind the low table. Cushioned by soft pelts, she was cooing softly at Sachimaru as she fed him. The loose silk sheet draped over her shoulders and around the pup's head prevented Sesshoumaru from seeing any exposed part of her body but the presence of his pup was enough to satisfy him. 

The miko had balked at the notion of feeding their pup in front of him. She had only relented when Sachimaru refused to feed without his presence. Sesshoumaru allowed a smirk of satisfaction to lift his lips. His pup's actions had pleased him immeasurably.

Despite the growing bond between him and Sachimaru, Sesshoumaru could not help but notice that the miko was distancing herself from him. Something about the miko's manners had persisted in disturbing him for the last few days and it was only now when Katsuo had walked in that he realized what it was.

The miko had withdrawn from him ever since that conversation he had with her some weeks ago, just before Sachimaru was born. His lips thinned. At that time, the miko's question had discomfited him more than he had anticipated. He had told her the truth then but now he wondered if it was wise of him to do so. It had been clear from her shuttered expression that she disapproved of his assumptions that she and Katsuo had coupled.

Katsuo's voice drew him out of his contemplation. "Lord Sesshoumaru?"

With barely veiled annoyance, he bit out, "Yes?"

"Shin had been brought back injured just a moment ago. He was ambushed by a group of demon slayers."

The miko gasped from the end of the study, her eyes betraying her concern. "Is he alright?"

Katsuo's expression belied his concern. "It will be good if you could go see him soon."

The miko immediately detached their son and covered herself. "I'm sorry, little one. I'll be back soon."

His pup whimpered in dissatisfaction as she stood up and walked towards him. Sesshoumaru reached up as the miko placed the wriggling pup in his arms before she rushed out. Rubbing the behind the pup's ears, Sesshoumaru waited until Sachimaru was calm before turning his attention to his general.

"They were in the Western Lands?"

"Close to the border with the east."

"How many?"

"Around twenty left."

Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened. "Send ten warriors out. None of the demon slayers are permitted to remain in the Western Lands. If they resist, kill them."

Katsuo nodded grimly.

* * *

The humans were giving him problems five hundred years ago and they were giving him problems now, Sesshoumaru thought. It was ironic that he had ended up wishing to be mated to a human. A miko, no less. 

Brushing the remnant of the memories away from his mind, Sesshoumaru fixed his gaze to a point far beyond the clouds. It would not be long before they arrived at the unnamed island, he surmised. Departing from the shrine, he had traveled with the miko and his pup as far as the coast using his energy orb. Deeming that it was safe to travel on his cloud to cross the sea to the east of Japan, Sesshoumaru had placed an arm each around the miko and his pup and ascended into the air.

He glanced down at the miko clinging to the spikes on his armor. As per the norm in these meetings, the demons lords were expected to turn up in their traditional attire. Sesshoumaru knew that the miko's appearance would cause a stir, seeing that her kind had always considered demons as enemies. Still, the familiar sight of her miko garment pleased him.

Sesshoumaru shifted his gaze to his son's face. The pup's eyes were shining in anticipation. In fact, Sachimaru had been nothing but a bundle of excitement ever since had received a gift of an attire similar to his, without the armor.

"Are we there yet?" Sachimaru asked.

"Soon," he replied.

The miko shifted. "We've been traveling for hours. Where is this island?"

"Somewhere between Japan and the United States."

Her eyes rounded. She looked as if she was ready to panic. "We're THAT far out in the sea?"

"Miko, do not struggle or you will plummet down into the sea," he warned her flatly.

Sachimaru giggled. "Okaa-san, don't you think it's nice up here? You can see everything."

The miko groaned. "Everything? I can only see water and clouds."

Grinning, Sachimaru said, "Exactly."

Sesshoumaru's lips twitched in amusement.

Soon, his entire attention was focused on locating the island. The island was held in shared ownership between a number of demon lords, him included. It was a neutral territory for all of them with its own laws and protocols to maintain the peace. For security purposes, the island had been made invisible to one's eye unless they had been invited in advance. The guards knew that he was coming with two guests and would be looking out for his signature youki.

With that in mind, he released a wave of youki, allowing it to radiate outwards.

Almost instantly, a previously invisible area close to them coalesced into a solid mass of a large island. Both the miko and Sachimaru gasped. Listening at their excited exclamations with half an ear, Sesshoumaru guided his cloud down to the sprawling estate on one side of the island. Thick foliage covered the other side of the island, left untamed for those who wished for nature unspoilt by humans.

When his cloud landed on firm ground, two foreign demon guards approached him and bowed.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," they chorused in thickly accented Japanese.

He inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"If you would like to follow us, we'll show you the accommodation."

"Hn."

With that, Sesshoumaru walked after the two guards. Glancing down at the miko, he saw the unspoken question in her eyes. No doubt she was wondering why the two guards had ignored her and Sachimaru.

"They are not allowed to associate with the guests," he explained.

Her eyes widened in comprehension. But before she could say a word, Sachimaru asked, "Why?"

"The protocol in this island dictates so. The balance of peace between demons of different cultures is delicate and maintaining it is a difficult task. There is no reason for the guards to speak to the guests casually, therefore to avoid unnecessary complications, such a thing is disallowed."

The pup nodded but said nothing else. Unlike his usual bubbly self, Sachimaru was calm and composed, Sesshoumaru noted with approval. Even without being told, the pup understood the need for proper etiquette.

A small, single storey house came into view and the guards stopped in front of it. "We hope that you'll have a pleasant stay." Bowing, the two guards left.

Sachimaru immediately walked forward towards the door and pushed it open. Stepping in after his pup, Sesshoumaru glanced at the surroundings, deciding that it was of an acceptable standard. As the miko stepped next to him, a distasteful thought suddenly occurred to him.

"Akiyama will be present."

"Oh."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. The miko did not seem surprised. Perhaps Akiyama had informed her of his movements. A flare of irritation rose in him and he had to forcibly maintain his outward façade of calm. The elemental's presence would not matter, since Akiyama had to comply with the protocols and therefore, would not be interacting with her.

"Do not expect to speak to him," he cautioned.

The miko's eyes bulged. "To Akiyama?"

Sesshoumaru nodded once. "You will be announced to the demon lords but you may not address them directly. In turn, the demon lords are not encouraged to converse with the guests of other lords."

Blinking, the miko exhaled. "I see. This is to make sure that no misunderstandings happen, right?"

"Hn."

"But Akiyama and I already know each other," she pointed out.

"It matters not," he replied flatly.

Sachimaru reappeared, his face once against suffused with excitement now that they were alone. "There are three bedrooms and each have a bath in it," he announced. "Really big baths! Okaa-san, you must come and see."

The miko laughed. Sesshoumaru watched as she allowed herself to be pulled away.

Suddenly, it struck him that this would be the first time in five hundred years that the three of them would live under the same roof.

* * *

They had not done much after they arrived. Without much fight, she had given in to Sachimaru's and ended up soaking in the large bath. They had gone to bed soon after that. 

The next morning found them flying over the lush terrain on Sesshoumaru's cloud.

Kagome gasped as she pointed at the shimmering cascade below them. "Look Sachimaru, there's a waterfall down there."

Sachimaru's eyes widened as he leaned forward away from Sesshoumaru. "Really?"

"Be still, Sachimaru. Or you will find yourself learning to fly prematurely," Sesshoumaru chided evenly.

Blinking, she glanced up at the taiyoukai. "Fly?" she echoed disbelievingly. Her son could fly?

"Hn. It is possible that he possesses the power to do so. However, one could only tell if he tries."

"I want to learn now!" Sachimaru exclaimed, his eyes gleaming in anticipation. "Can you teach me? Please?"

"It's too soon. You will learn in a year or so," Sesshoumaru said firmly.

"But it's dangerous…" Kagome muttered. The idea that Sachimaru possessed the same capability as Sesshoumaru should not be surprising. However, the idea of her son flying worried her.

Sesshoumaru gave her a wry look. "Miko, you are flying on my cloud."

"That's different," she huffed.

Sesshoumaru gave her a wry look. "And it is not dangerous right now?"

She made a face at him. "That's different. YOU are flying this thing."

"I'm gratified that you have such confidence in my abilities," he returned blandly.

Kagome could not help but grin at the twinkle in his eyes. As Sachimaru continued to hassle Sesshoumaru about the techniques of flying, her mind began to wander. Without much conscious thought, she relaxed against Sesshoumaru's solid form, feeling his arm tighten around her waist. A warm glow washed over her. She felt so secure, so protected.

And it was all because Sesshoumaru was with them. He was different and yet the same as the Sesshoumaru she had known in the past.

This Sesshoumaru beside her was easier to love.

* * *

A/N: Sigh… I'm suffering from cliffie withdrawal… Hope you've enjoyed the chapter. Please review if you can. Thanks! 


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu, Moriko and Eiko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing the previous chapter. I will not be updating next week because I'm away on holiday, so the next update will come in about 2 weeks' time. In the meantime, I hope you'll like this chapter!

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 20**

This Sesshoumaru beside her was easier to love.

It took a while before the stray thought sank in fully in her mind. And when it did, Kagome paled.

Easier to love?

What was she thinking of? Blinking, she bit her lips in consternation. Could it be that she was slowly falling for him? Or this feeling of hers had always been there since the Feudal Era and she simply did not recognize it? She frowned as she considered her past actions, remembering how disappointed she had been when Sesshoumaru had shown no inclination to further their relationship. Was that why she had not accepted Akiyama fully even though he had courted her for so long?

Sesshoumaru's voice jolted her out of her disturbing thoughts.

"We have to return."

Still stunned by her recent realization, Kagome could only nod. The terrain sped past under them as Sesshoumaru guided his cloud until they landed back in the estate. It was over too soon for her liking and from the resignation on Sachimaru's face, she knew that her son felt the same as well.

"Thanks for taking us around, Sesshoumaru-san," Sachimaru chirped.

"That was nice, Sesshoumaru," she added with a smile.

Sesshoumaru's expression was unreadable when he turned to face her. "You may amuse yourself on one of the trails after the first session."

"The first session?" she queried.

"You need to be in attendance during the first session, for you will be introduced to the rest. The second session is restricted only to the lords as the details needed to be kept confidential," he explained as they stepped up to a large marble-clad structure. "Today, Naraku's acts will be discussed."

Kagome nodded, recalling everything Sesshoumaru had told her about the power-hungry half demon. She guessed that like humans, demons were also prone to such things. All thoughts of Naraku instantly fled when she walked down the tall hallway flanked by while marble columns. It was obvious that no expense had been spared in the construction of the conference hall.

Soon, she found herself sitting in a raised private balcony overlooking a circular conference space underneath. She blinked at the view beneath her. The ruling demons and demonesses from different countries were seated around a very large round table. There were at least forty of them down there and vaguely, she wondered how they could see to the end of the table.

It was surreal, she thought as she held on tighter to Sachimaru's hand, just in case he decided to go exploring by himself. Not that she really had anything to worry about. After all, Sachimaru has been the model of decorum ever since they landed on the island. She supposed she should be thankful that Sachimaru understood that there was a time and place to play and run around.

A hush fell over the chamber as the master of ceremonies, a demon called Verdelet announced for them to commence.

Each of the demons and demonesses were announced as well as their guests. When it came to her and Sachimaru, she could not help but hear disapproving mumbles rumbling throughout the large space. Shrugging inwardly, she decided to ignore it. After all, they were not supposed to talk to her, let alone touch her.

She struggled to remember the names but she vaguely remembered some of them from mythological tales and foreign folklores.

There was the Yeti of the Himalayas, furry bear-like form with ape-like features. Then there were the Chinese demon lords, Niu Mo Wang with horns protruding from his bull-like face and Menomaru, a moth demon with twin red slashes down his forehead. Japan was represented by Sesshoumaru and Akiyama.

From further west, there were the Norwegian demonesses known as Alrunes, the French banshee Melusina, the three-headed Western demon king Balam and a scary looking tall demon called Barbas. There was also a serpent demon called Phyto, a Russian demon called Troian and a fire elemental called Xarphan. Kagome squinted as her eyes landed on the other ten or so demons whose names she could not remember.

She followed as Sachimaru leaned closer to the edge of the balcony to see better. Once by one, the demons and demonesses began to give a brief summary of what was happening in the demonic society in their respective areas. After the third demon, Kagome slumped back down onto her seat. It was as if she was sitting in an economics class. The nature trails were definitely more enticing than this.

She hoped that the whole thing would be over soon so that she could get out.

* * *

The second session had commenced an hour ago but Sesshoumaru was already weary of the slow pace the discussion had taken. It would have helped if some of the demons did not insist on broaching irrelevant topics.

"So, Lord Sesshoumaru, can you explain the presence of a human priestess in the midst of a demon gathering?" Menomaru asked.

Sesshoumaru gave the Chinese moth demon a disdainful look. "She is my guest." The demon should know better than to bring something so contentious up in such a conference.

"Her holy power poses a threat. Perhaps it is only a small threat, considering our collective powers but still a threat," Menomaru pointed out with a frown.

Sesshoumaru saw Akiyama's cautioning glance before the water elemental spoke in a calm voice. "I am familiar with this female as well. I cannot speak for other priestesses but she is not our enemy. Our enemy is the one was coordinating the scheme to expose the presence of demons to the public."

"I was about to point out that we are not gathered here to speak of one human priestess," the banshee Melusina interjected haughtily. Glancing at Menomaru, she added, "If you have issues with such a thing, this is not the time to bring it up."

Niu Mo Wang rapped on the table. "Let's focus on the situation in Japan."

"Lord Sesshoumaru, you've explained the situation earlier. We want to know what are your plans to contain this," Balam asked, leaning forward as he did so.

Sesshoumaru pinned his gaze on the powerful three-headed demon. "The one responsible for this is a half-demon known as Naraku. He's being hunted down as we speak."

"A half-demon?!" Alrunes exclaimed incredulously. "Half-demons are weak! It is unthinkable that one could create so much chaos."

"Hn."

Sesshoumaru agreed that half-demons were generally weaker than full-blooded demons and he knew that Naraku could not possibly be capable of this without aid. Glancing around, he wondered if one of them in the conference was involved. Those that could be involved, based on their dislike of humans, were Menomaru and Phyto.

"It's very well hunting him down. But you do realize there is still the small issue with the Japanese human population's awareness of our existence," Melusina pointed out. "Something needs to be done about it."

Akiyama leaned forward. "There are a few possibilities that we can explore."

Barbas snorted as he waved his arm in a wide arc. "Just modify their memories, Lord Akiyama. That is not something beyond your capacity."

Sesshoumaru glanced sharply at the elemental beside him. He was not aware that Akiyama possessed such a skill. Was he the one who had suppressed the memories of the miko? Added with the fact that he was able to infuse spells into objects, the evidence was damning. Still, why would the elemental do such a thing?

Obviously sensing his perusal, Akiyama turned to the side, wearing a look which cautioned silence before returning his attention to Barbas.

"Whilst it's true that I'm fully capable of modifying memories, I prefer to find another way to arrive at a peaceful resolution," the elemental said smoothly.

Barbas frowned. "Peaceful resolution? The humans have never learnt such a thing. You only have to watch how they fight amongst each other to come to that conclusion. Why should we expect them to suddenly develop some sense? Delve into their consciousness and dreams and you will find that humans are a mess within themselves."

"Lord Barbas has a point, Lord Akiyama," Xarphan remarked. "Perhaps you're reluctant to do so because of your personal feelings for humans in general. After all, you're partial to them, aren't you?

Akiyama tensed at his long-time enemy's words as Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. Xarphan, the fire elemental, was only trying to goad the other elemental. It would not do for Akiyama to lose his temper. Giving Akiyama a look which warned the elemental to allow him to handle this, Sesshoumaru turned his attention to Xarphan.

"It's unnecessary to bring up Lord Akiyama's personal preference in this meeting. After so many centuries, it is clear that he only acts in the best interest of the demon population." Inclining his head at Troian, Sesshoumaru added, "Two centuries ago, Troian has benefited from Lord Akiyama's assistance when the Russian humans discovered his existence, has he not?"

Troian nodded. "That's true. And I am grateful for Lord Akiyama's aid."

One of Balam's head swung towards Sesshoumaru. "The option to modify the memories is the simplest, provided you eliminate the mastermind of the scheme."

His body twisting sinuously to face Sesshoumaru, Phyto the serpent demon hissed, "Lord Sssesshoumaru, with your forcesss, you could simply force the humansss to ssubmit to the demons. After all, we are the superior sspeciesss."

Niu Mo Wang spun around sharply. "That's not an option, Phyto, and you know it." His tone was hard.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "You have seen how the humans react to this in Japan. Full exposure would only cause more problems."

Phyto simply hissed in obvious disdain before turning away.

The meeting continued, occasionally growing heated as the demon lords clashed in opinions. Sesshoumaru sat back, composing his expression into a look of mild disinterest.

Finally the majority agreed that since the incidents were still contained within Japan, the Japanese demons should be allowed to handle it in their own way. However, Balam stipulated that the foreign lords would interfere if things get out of hand whilst Barbas continued to insist that the memories could be wiped on a large-scale basis.

By the time they finished, Sesshoumaru was relieved that such meetings only occurred once in decades.

As the demons began to file out, Sesshoumaru directed a pointed look at Akiyama. Understanding the unspoken words, the elemental simply nodded. It was only when the conference chamber was empty save the two of them that Sesshoumaru turned his full gaze at the blue-haired demon.

"I believe you need to explain a certain facet of your skills," Sesshoumaru bit out.

Akiyama's expression tightened. "I know what you suspect, Sesshoumaru. But you are mistaken. I did not cast the spell on Kagome or you."

"You are certainly capable of it," Sesshoumaru accused flatly.

Akiyama's expression was stony. "And I'm telling you that it was not me. Such a thing brings me no benefit. Why would I suppress the miko's memory of myself considering the progress of our courting?"

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. He did not wish to know of how far the courting had progressed in the past. The notion of the miko in the elemental's arms instantly sent a burning rage coursing through his veins. Clenching his fists, Sesshoumaru glared at the elemental.

"You are aware that you are not to interact with her here," he gritted out.

Akiyama raised a challenging brow. "Surely that part of the island's protocol refers to strangers. The miko and I are hardly strangers."

"Nevertheless, you will observe the rules."

"I have no intention of breaking the rules, Sesshoumaru," Akiyama replied flatly, but the gleam in his eyes belied his displeasure.

Would the elemental keep his word? Deciding to reserve judgment for the moment, Sesshoumaru asked, "Who else you know of that holds the power to do such a thing? The memories of all the inhabitant of my castle were also suppressed. None could think of a reason behind it when interrogated."

The elemental was silent for a moment. Then he asked, "Have you discovered why the memories have returned after so many centuries?"

"A chain in the miko's possession was used to bind the memories. There was also pendant involved in it, one which held a substantial portion of the miko's powers."

Akiyama frowned thoughtfully. "I am not capable of binding or manipulating a miko's holy powers. And as far as I know, most demons are not able to withstand it without being purified, except you."

"Hn."

In that case, the spell could have only been cast by someone with holy powers, such as a miko. Sesshoumaru suddenly went cold when an idea presented itself. But before he could think it through, Akiyama voiced his suspicions.

"It is possible that Kagome accidentally set the spell off." The elemental paused briefly before he continued, "I don't think she would have done something like this on purpose. Somehow, the action does not fit her."

Sesshoumaru nodded, realizing the truth in Akiyama's words. Perhaps it was merely an accident. And perhaps the loss of memory was not as bad as it seemed. After all, without it, he would not have a second chance at winning the miko's affection.

* * *

The place definitely did not lack any natural beauty, Kagome admitted with a smile as she and Sachimaru stopped by one of the trails which Sesshoumaru had shown them from his cloud earlier. Waterfalls of all sizes cascaded down the cliff face, sending a fine mist spraying into the air and the surrounding foliage.

"Can I go in, Okaa-san?" Sachimaru asked, eyeing the water with longing.

Kagome glanced at the ripples on the surface of the crystal clear water. "Better ask Sesshoumaru… Sesshoumaru-san first," she mumbled. Who knew what could be in that water? After all, this island was populated by demons.

"Do you think he will teach me to fly?"

The image of Sachimaru streaking through the air on a miniature cloud far, FAR above ground instantly came to mind, making her gulp. What if he hurt himself? What if his cloud was faulty? Maybe she should try to talk Sesshoumaru out of teaching Sachimaru such a dangerous thing.

"Okaa-san?" Sachimaru prompted.

Before she could reply, a feminine voice sounded some distance behind her.

"So, you are Sesshoumaru's guests."

Kagome swung around to find herself facing two beautiful female demonesses. Their slanted eyes and their oriental attire suggested to Kagome that they might be one of the Chinese lord's guests. Just as she was about the open her mouth, Sesshoumaru's warning came to mind.

Confusion instantly enveloped her. Why were they speaking to her? Did they not know that guests were discouraged from interacting? Unsure of what to do, Kagome simply stood there, holding on to Sachimaru's hand firmly. Like her, Sachimaru simply stared up at them wordlessly.

The two demonesses did not seem at all bothered by their silence.

"I'm Hari," one of them said.

"And I'm Ruri," the other one chirped.

Glancing down at Sachimaru, Hari raised an eyebrow and said, "My, my… Doesn't he look just like Lord Sesshoumaru? Don't you think so, Ruri?"

"How interesting…" Ruri mused contemplatively.

Kagome stiffened. She supposed she should have expected this. After all, the resemblance was uncanny. Still, something about the gleams in the demonesses' eyes and then tone of their voices sent warning bells ringing in her head.

Not wanting to offend anyone and not wanting to break the protocol, Kagome inclined her head at them. Without waiting for their reaction, she pulled Sachimaru along with her. It was late anyway and Sachimaru needed to go to sleep soon.

To her relief, she found that they were not followed as they headed back towards the small house. Stepping in, Kagome's eyes immediately went to the untouched trays of food left on the table. Sesshoumaru must still be stuck in the meeting.

Conscious of the time, Kagome sat down and gestured for Sachimaru to start eating.

"The two demonesses are weird," Sachimaru remarked as he ate.

Sachimaru noticed it too. Frowning, Kagome said, "They shouldn't be talking to us. I wonder what they were thinking."

"Maybe Sesshoumaru-san would know."

Kagome nodded as they finished their dinner. Soon, Sachimaru was in bed with her sitting by his side.

She looked up when she heard the door front door open and shut quietly. Sesshoumaru must be back. She needed to tell him about that weird encounter they had near the waterfalls. Tucking the sheets up the slumbering Sachimaru's chin, she stood up and walked out of the boy's room. Looking around the living room, she realized that no one was there.

Without thinking, she went to Sesshoumaru's room and knocked. "Sesshoumaru?" she called out.

"You may enter, Miko."

Pushing the door open, she stepped in. Her breath instantly hitched in her throat when her eyes landed on his bare back. Standing facing the open window, he was clad only in his silk hakama and nothing else. She stared, fixated on his sleek muscles as he turned around to walk towards her.

The memory of their mating came crashing into her mind, supplying her with the images of his sweat slicked chest as he drove into her wildly.

"Miko?"

Her eyes snapped up to his face. She blushed when she saw the knowing gleam in his eyes. "It's not what you think it is," she blurted out. She immediately groaned silently. As if _that_ was not a dead giveaway. She took a step back, deciding that this was not a good idea after all. At least until Sesshoumaru put something on.

"You wish to say something, Miko?"

She cleared her throat, trying to remember what she wanted to say. "When we were walking earlier, these two demonesses came up and tried to talk to me. I didn't like the looks they gave Sachimaru."

His eyes narrowed. "Who are they?"

"I think they are the guests of one of the Chinese lords. They said their names are Ruri and Hari."

"They are Menomaru's companions," Sesshoumaru remarked thoughtfully.

Still feeling much too aware of Sesshoumaru enticing nudity, Kagome took another step backwards. "Uh, I'd better go. It's late."

His gaze darkened. "Stay," he murmured.

"S-Stay?" she choked out as his fingers touched her face.

Caught in the moment, she could hardly breath as he bent down to lock his lips onto hers. Eyes fluttering shut, she responded freely as their tongues tangled and their lips caressed each others passionately.

She simply moaned as his hand skated down the side of her neck only to end up on the swell of her breast. Giving in to the urge to feel him, Kagome reached up to run her palms down his well-defined chest. When her fingers dipped into his navel, his sharp intake of breath drew her eyes up to his face. Features suffused with desire, his eyes were hooded and dark.

The memories were nothing compared to this.

With a growl, he lifted her and moved until she felt herself lowered onto his bed. His eyes never left hers as he lowered himself between her legs. Reaching underneath her sleeping slip, he brought his hand up to cup her breast. Kagome instantly arched back at the sensation of his palm rubbing against her sensitive mound.

Then he dipped his head to draw a slow lick from the valley between her breasts to the side of her neck. She shivered as his fangs scraped the junction between her neck and her shoulder.

"Miko, I have to stop." His voice was strained, ragged.

Blinking through the haze in her eyes, she glanced at him. "Why?" she asked before she realize how she must have sounded.

"I would mark you if this continues."

She sucked in a sharp breath. He wanted to mark her? As in to make her his mate again? But now he was backing off. Did that mean that he did not want to mate her after all? Or he was simply waiting? But waiting for what? More importantly, did she want him to mark her?

"I… umm…" she faltered uncertainly.

"Sleep, Miko," he said huskily, pulling her onto him so that her head rested on his bare chest.

The steady beat of his heart thumped against her ears as Kagome stared unseeingly into space.

It was at that moment that she realized that she wanted it. She wanted him to mark her as his. She wanted to spend years and years with him as Sachimaru grew up. Sure he was arrogant and self-absorbed most of the time, but she did not mind it that much.

Her mouth went dry in realization.

She _was_ in love with Sesshoumaru.

* * *

Sesshoumaru's eyes were still closed in part slumber but it did not stop his senses from tingling at the approach of a presence. It was non-threatening. In fact, the presence gave him a sense of warmth. It was coming closer, that tiny, non-threatening presence…

Sesshoumaru jolted into complete awareness the moment the door to his room swung open.

Two pairs of golden eyes met.

"Okaa-san? Sesshoumaru-san?" Sachimaru whispered cautiously.

Tensing, Sesshoumaru sat up straighter, wondering how the pup would react to seeing his mother in bed with another male. Sachimaru's eyes landed on the miko momentarily before he raised them again. Apart from a strange gleam in the pup's eyes, Sesshoumaru sensed nothing else. No panic, no fear and no recrimination. How was such a young pup able to remain so calm?

"Did you sleep well, Sachimaru?" Sesshoumaru asked carefully.

Sachimaru brightened. "Yes. A lady brought us breakfast," he whispered. "Is it alright if I eat first? It smells good and I'm hungry."

Still stunned by the pup's non-reaction to their compromising position, Sesshoumaru simply nodded. As the pup closed the door behind him, Sesshoumaru glanced at the sleeping figure beside him. Reaching out, he smoothed a strand of her hair away from her cheeks before bending down to nuzzle her neck.

A feeling of male pride washed over him when a faint scent of arousal tickled his nose. If he was uncertain of the miko's thoughts on his touches, this would prove to him that she was attracted to him, at least physically. Then he grimaced when he remembered that caught in the sensual pleasure, he had almost marked her last night. It was still too soon, for he was uncertain of the miko's true feelings on this subject.

As he continued to rub against her cheek, the miko stirred. "Sesshoumaru?" she murmured sleepily.

"Hn."

Closing his eyes, he continued to inhale her peach scent as she threaded her fingers in his hair. Knowing that this could lead to something more, Sesshoumaru immediately stilled. Lifting up his head, he stared into her sleepy eyes.

"Sachimaru was in here a while ago."

Her eyes immediately widened and she sat up abruptly. "What did he say?"

"He asked permission to eat before us." Sesshoumaru paused momentarily and then continued, "This is the second time he had seen us in a… compromising position and said nothing of it."

"You're a bad influence. His timing was much better when you're not around," she muttered dryly.

"You jest, Miko."

She shook her head. "Remember what happened on the day I gave birth to him?"

Sesshoumaru's lips twisted as he recalled that very memory, when Sachimaru had insisted on arriving when the miko was in the hotsprings. But he also remembered that Sachimaru had effectively put a stop to his urge to mark the miko when they had been walking in the forest reserve.

"Perhaps it is." Disentangling himself from the sheets, he stood up. "Come. It is time to wake."

The morning and afternoon passed quickly with the three of them exploring the island. However, conscious that they would have to return to Japan soon, Sesshoumaru told them that they could return to the island again if they wished to do so.

Shortly, they were once again traveling over the sea on his cloud. Sesshoumaru watched as the miko glanced sideways at the sleeping boy on his shoulders. The pup was tired from their last trek across the forest on the island that he had decided to carry Sachimaru while he slept.

The familiarity of the situation did not escape him, albeit without their pup. Five hundred years ago, he had traveled with the miko in such a manner. A conversation they had returned to him.

"Tell me, Miko… Were you really thinking of Akiyama during the trip?"

"What trip?" she asked, a little confused.

His golden eyes flickered as they landed on her lips and then he lifted a hand. Her breath lodged in her throat as he traced her bottom lip with his thumb. "Do you remember, Miko?" he asked quietly. "When I kissed you."

She blushed.

Then her eyes widened suddenly.

"What is the matter?"

"I… I think a piece of memory is trying to come back."

So far, their memories seemed to be returning almost at the same pace. Could it be that she was remembering what he had dreamt of just last night? He grimaced. There were elements of that particular dream which were downright intolerable. Still, he would need to know what she remembered. Perhaps it would lead to an answer as to how their memories had been suppressed.

"Tell me, Miko."

She took a deep breath as her eyes clouded over. "We were in the gardens. Sachimaru, Katsuo, Natsumi and I…"

* * *

They were being watched.

Distracted, Kagome's steps faltered momentarily as she glanced at the taiyoukai who was crossing the garden some distance away. The moment he noticed the direction of her gaze, he inclined his head and then resumed walking.

She sighed inwardly. Sesshoumaru had been pleasant enough to her and she should not have any complaints but she kept feeling as if something was missing.

Kagome's lips twisted bitterly. In the last few months following Sachimaru's birth, one could almost say that they were like a real family. A father, a mother and a son. Only she knew better. Because if it was a real family, she would be married, no… mated to Sesshoumaru. Not being courted by one of his allies. Not that she had a problem with Akiyama. The elemental was definitely a good person to be mated to. But somehow, she could not help but feel that it could be more.

At least this was real, she thought as she started moving again, pulling Sachimaru along with her.

"Shh!" Kagome cautioned Sachimaru, settling them in the dark space under the bushes.

The seven-months old half-demon, who looked more like a two-year old human child, clapped his hand to his mouth as his golden eyes went impossibly large with excitement. Kagome bit her lips to stop laughing. His exuberance was contagious and she could feel her heart thump faster even as she willed herself to remain still. Katsuo would find them if they made the slightest sound.

Her spine tingled, signaling her that Katsuo was approaching. Alarmed, she wrapped her arms around Sachimaru and shuffled further away in an attempt to avoid detection.

Suddenly, the leaves nearby them shook violently.

Sachimaru squealed shrilly as Katsuo jumped in front of them. Even though she had expected it, the shock of Katsuo's appearance was enough to make her shriek as well. Then she laughed as Katsuo snatched Sachimaru and raced out of the bushes. This was the fourth time Katsuo found the both of them. She emerged out into the sun-drenched garden to see Katsuo spinning around with Sachimaru.

Katsuo let out a toe-curling victory cry as he threw Sachimaru up in the air. "Got you, Sachimaru!" he declared as he caught the giggling boy.

Breathless from the excitement, Sachimaru gasped, "Let go, Katsuo-ojisan!"

"This is not fair! You're targeting us! Where's Natsumi?" Kagome protested, planting her hands on her hips.

"Here!" the demoness yelled, jumping out of a tree.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "You went up a _tree_?"

Smiling sheepishly, Natsumi shrugged.

"We can't play hide and seek if you can sniff us out," Kagome grumbled at Katsuo.

Sachimaru promptly dashed off the moment Katsuo released him. Grinning, the hanyou said, "Well, you could use your powers to keep me from finding you."

Kagome made a face at him. "And what might that be? Set up a barrier around us? You forgot that with your mother's miko blood, you could SEE the barrier."

Katsuo blinked. "Ah… That's right. What if you just mask your scent? That way, my nose won't be able to find you. If Natsumi hasn't masked her scent, I would have found her."

Kagome started, remembering a particular conversation between her and Akiyama which she had long forgotten. Yes, at that time, she had still wanted to escape but had not had the chance to ask Katsuo to teach her. But now that Katsuo was offering, she already decided to stay. Still, it would do no harm to learn it, right?

"You'd have to teach me."

"It's simple but you'd need to focus your powers to wrap around you. Here, this is what you have to do," Katsuo began.

Kagome listened intently as Katsuo explained it to her. After a few tries, she managed to mask her scent. Well, she supposed that the only time she would ever use this was while they were playing hide and seek, she thought wryly.

Natsumi beamed. "Well done! It worked. I can't smell you now." Then she glanced at the sky. "Oh my… I have to go back in. I have work to do."

Smiling at her friend's departing figure, Kagome released the spell and sagged to the ground. Keeping up with Sachimaru was hard work and even with all her training, she was tired. Sachimaru was not even fazed, judging by the way he was streaking across the garden, chasing and pouncing on some imaginary enemy.

"I wish my mother could see him," Kagome mused, flicking her eyes sideways towards her friend who had sat down beside her.

Eyes not leaving the pup, Katsuo said absently, "Why don't you visit your family? I think Lord Sesshoumaru would not deny such a request."

"I think he would," she muttered darkly. Because it probably meant that she would not return once she jumped into the well. Not that he knew about it.

"Where is your home?" Katsuo asked curiously.

Kagome looked away. She did not want to lie to Katsuo. "Near the Goshinboku."

"In the east?"

"I think so," Kagome muttered, feeling bad that she was hiding something from Katsuo.

"I can take you there if you want. We only need to ask Lord Sesshoumaru for permission."

Kagome sighed. "I don't think so, Katsuo."

"Why?"

"You won't believe me if I tell you."

"Kagome. Just tell me."

She took a deep breath. "I think I can only get home through the Bond-Eater's Well, because that's how I got here in the first place. But I might not be able to come back."

Katsuo looked visibly astonished. "Through the well?"

Deciding to get it out of her system, she explained, "I came from another place and time, through the well. And to go back, I'll have to jump into the well. It should bring me five hundred years into the future."

Katsuo blinked wordlessly, then slowly, he began to grin. "I see. You're just joking around."

"You don't believe me?"

Chuckling, Katsuo shook his head.

Irritated, Kagome slumped down onto the grass and stared at the sky. He obviously did not believe her. So much for being honest. Still, if she had not experienced it herself, she would not have thought that it was possible.

* * *

Someone was attempting to stalk him and was doing so with inadequate stealth. The loud shuffling of bare feet against the wooden floor give his stalker's presence away. Pretending not to notice, Sesshoumaru continued to walk down the hallway separating his sleeping chambers and his study. Sachimaru wished to play and he would humor the pup.

The fine hair at the back of his neck rose. Sesshoumaru glanced backwards just in time to see Sachimaru pounce. Lips quirking in amusement, he caught the pup midair.

"Hunting, Sachimaru?" he asked softly.

The pup nodded vigorously. Then his expression sank. "But you saw me."

"You were too loud," Sesshoumaru told him. "You have to be silent."

The pup smiled, revealing fangs that were almost too tiny to be considered fangs. It must be due to his human heritage, Sesshoumaru surmised. It did not matter. From what he could see, Sachimaru would do well even without the fangs.

"Chichi-ue? Please join us?" Sachimaru asked.

The image of the miko and the pup playing earlier came to mind. Sesshoumaru frowned inwardly as he remembered the odd pressure in his chest at the sight of them laughing and running. For a moment, he had been tempted to join them. The only thing which stopped him was his aversion to being seen frolicking like a pup in the gardens.

"Does your mother know where you are?"

Sachimaru shook his head, wearing an impish look.

"Come."

As Sachimaru walked beside him, holding on to his sleeve, Sesshoumaru stepped out into the garden. His eyes immediately landed on the figure of the miko lying down in the grass with his general seated beside her. Truly, Katsuo deserved to be assigned more tasks if he had so much free time, Sesshoumaru thought disapprovingly. However, he was certain that his pup would be disappointed if Katsuo was not there to entertain him.

Katsuo stood up when he walked up with Sachimaru. Glancing down, Sesshoumaru noted that the mother of his pup was asleep. From the red tint on her cheeks, he realized that she had remained far too long in the sun. Sesshoumaru grimaced. She must be tired if she had managed to fall asleep in the gardens in this heat.

"Miko."

Her eyes instantly snapped open and she sprung into a sitting position, her unfocussed eyes finding their way towards him. He watched as she stood up, brushing the grass away from her kimono.

"Sesshoumaru," she greeted, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Blinking, she smiled at Sachimaru. "So that's where you are, hassling your father. We wondered where you've gone."

Sachimaru grinned up at her. "I was only hunting."

The miko eyed Sachimaru anxiously as the pup darted away. Then she turned around. "Sesshoumaru? Please tell me he's not hunting for real."

Sesshoumaru's lips twitched. The miko needed to stop treating Sachimaru as if he was fragile human. "Sachimaru is simply honing his skills as a demon."

"Half-demon. He's half-human, remember?" she asked dryly.

"Nevertheless, his demon blood is more prevalent than his human one. It is to be expected that he would grow as a demon pup should."

Releasing a sigh of exasperation, the miko placed her hands on her hips. "But nothing dangerous, alright?" she reminded for what seemed like the hundredth time.

Ignoring her words, Sesshoumaru turned to Katsuo. "Escort the miko to her chambers. She appears to be needing rest."

A look of surprise crossed the miko's face. "I'm not tired, Sesshoumaru. And I definitely don't need to be escorted back to my room."

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened as Katsuo tensed. Was the miko incapable of following simple instructions, even if it was for her own benefit?

Glancing briefly at Katsuo, she continued, "Can you fetch Sachimaru before he disturbs the servants and the warriors?"

Lips quirking, Katsuo nodded and left in the same direction as the pup.

Sesshoumaru gave her a stony look. "Miko…"

She barely looked at him when she said, "Well, I'm going in anyway."

He gnashed his teeth together in an attempt to suppress his irritation. She still insisted on distancing herself from him. As far as he was concerned, the matter of the bond breaking was concluded and should be left in the past. He would not allow her to continue brooding over it. Perhaps it was time for him to confront her about it.

"Are you avoiding this Sesshoumaru, Miko?" he asked quietly.

She immediately tensed, that very action giving her away. A forced laugh escaped her lips as she averted her eyes. "It must be your imagination, Sesshoumaru. I'm not avoiding you. I see you everyday."

His lips thinned at her denial. "Do not lie."

Her eyes flashed. "What do you want me to say? It's not like I'm doing anything wrong. What is it you want, Sesshoumaru?"

What did he want? Sesshoumaru was not certain of the answer himself. Perhaps he just wished for the miko to be less distant and less shielded around him. He did not even mind if she returned to her old infuriating self because it meant that he would be seeing _her_, not the cautious version in front of him right then.

When he did not reply, she exhaled a heavy breath. "Typical, isn't it? I ask a question and you don't answer," she muttered.

With that, she walked away from him, leaving him staring after her.

* * *

Kagome laughed heartily as she walked back towards the castle gates with Akiyama beside her. Sachimaru was running up ahead straight past the guards, no doubt to tell someone about what the newly born calf he had seen earlier.

She had lost count of just how many times the elemental had visited but she savored the visits, seeing that Akiyama was practically her only link to the outside world. She supposed that if Inuyasha was around, she could have persuaded him to go with her. But ever since he had gotten hold of Tetsusaiga with her help, he had been out searching for ways to strengthen his father's gift to him.

Her lips twisted in mirth as she remembered the look on Sesshoumaru's face when he realized that he could not hold the sword and yet, she could pull it out. It had been obvious that Sesshoumaru was not used to losing, especially to his younger brother. For weeks afterwards, he had been quieter and colder than usual. He had been sulking, she surmised with amusement. Not long afterwards, Sesshoumaru had disappeared for a while and when he returned, he no longer hankered for Tetsusaiga. She wondered what had happened to change the taiyoukai's mind.

"What seems to be so amusing, Kagome?"

Jolted out of her thoughts, she glanced at Akiyama almost guiltily. She really should not be thinking of Sesshoumaru while she was out with Akiyama. Still, the taiyoukai seemed to pop into her mind at the oddest times, even though she tried to avoid contact with him as much as possible unless it had something to do with Sachimaru.

"Kagome?"

She shook her head, smiling. "Nothing. Just remembering what happened when I handed Tetsusaiga over to Inuyasha."

"Ah, yes. I met him one day while I was out."

Kagome's eyes widened as she paused right in the middle of the courtyard. "Really? Where?"

"He was battling a dragon demon, Ryukotsusei and was successful in defeating him." Akiyama frowned as he paused in thought, and then continued, "However, he did lose control over his demon self momentarily."

Kagome gasped. In that state, Inuyasha was uncontrollable. Sesshoumaru had told her that it happened before and he had to be knocked out.

"Is he alright?"

Akiyama nodded. "Not only that, he gained a new technique."

A smile made its way to her lips. "He must have been happy."

"He was. Until he saw me."

Kagome shook her head slowly. "Honestly, I don't know why all of you don't just get along."

Akiyama smirked. "Perhaps he is jealous of my relationship with you."

Making a face, she said, "That's so wrong. He's Sachimaru's _uncle_."

Akiyama's eyes darkened. Then he reached out to tilt her chin up. In a husky voice, he said, "I should be relieved then. Less competition for your attention."

Kagome gasped as his head descended, blocking the sun from her face. The kiss he planted on her lips was gentle but thorough. She was too surprised to respond and the next thing she knew, he was stepping away from her. Instantly, she clapped her hands to her cheeks, trying to cover her blush as Akiyama stared at her with his stormy blue eyes.

For a long moment, they simply stared at each other.

"Lord Akiyama?"

Kagome jumped at the unexpected voice. Spinning around, she saw Shin standing some distance away, wearing a suspiciously blank mask.

"Yes?" Akiyama acknowledged.

"Lord Sesshoumaru wishes to speak to you, if that is convenient."

* * *

Hands clenched into fists, Sesshoumaru attempted to still the seething rage which burnt through him. He had been in this state ever since he was presented with the sight of the miko and the elemental in the courtyard.

How dare they… kiss?

He watched with satisfaction as Shin approach Akiyama with a message that he had instructed his inuyoukai warrior to deliver just seconds ago. He would not allow this revolting display to continue or worse, progress further.

This was unacceptable.

Although she was not his mate, he would never allow her to mate with another while his pup was with her. And Sachimaru was still too young to be separated from his mother. Was the miko even aware of the elemental's intentions? With her lack of knowledge when it came to demon culture, Sesshoumaru could not be certain.

It was not as if he was unaware of Akiyama's intention. If the miko chose to mate with the demon lord, her status as his pup's mother would ensure that the North and the West remained as allies. Sesshoumaru had no issues with this. What he had issues with was the fact that in such a case, Akiyama would hold the upper hand because he, Sesshoumaru would not want to alienate Sachimaru.

It was not long before Sesshoumaru felt the approach of the elemental. A moment later, Akiyama appeared at his open shoji screen.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," the elemental greeted evenly as he stepped in. "I've received your message. Is something the matter?"

Sesshoumaru decided that it was best to go straight to the pertinent issue. "The frequency of your presence in the Western Lands seems to be increasing."

Akiyama raised a brow. "If you recall, I have informed you almost a year ago that I wish to court the miko. And at that time, I promised that I would not encourage the miko to leave the Western Lands until the pup is of sufficient age. Therefore, I have no choice but to impose upon your hospitality. Unless, of course, you wish for the miko to return to the Northern Isles with me."

"The miko belongs in the Western Lands," Sesshoumaru gritted out. "And your courting of her is… inappropriate."

The pair of blue eyes hardened into icy orbs. "She is not your mate, Sesshoumaru. And though I used to wonder why she is not, I am relieved that she is available. Why, may I ask, are you so concerned now when you did not raise an objection initially?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Of course it is," Akiyama retorted dryly.

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. This conversation was not heading in the right direction. Akiyama was more persistent that he had anticipated. "The miko cannot leave the Western Lands. Our pup is still young."

Akiyama took on an incredulous look. "We have spoken about this, Lord Sesshoumaru. I will not take her away. At least not yet. I just want to court her."

Not able to come up with a good rebuttal, Sesshoumaru decided that he would use the miko as an excuse. "Perhaps this decision is better made after the miko is consulted properly. She may not be aware of the full implications of demonic courting."

Surprised, Akiyama's brow rose. "Yes, I suppose Kagome would not be too happy if we make these sorts of decision for her. It is just as well that she knows of my intentions. I've explained it to her right after our first discussion."

Sesshoumaru felt himself bristle at the elemental's familiarity with the miko. He would not tolerate this any longer, but he was at a loss for words. It seemed that he had erred in his initial judgment that the miko would reject Akiyama for the Western Lands. He had not expected their courtship to progress this far.

"If that's all, I wish to return to the miko," Akiyama said levelly.

Seething, Sesshoumaru watched as the elemental left the study.

If the miko chose to leave with the elemental, he would not allow her to take Sachimaru. Unfortunately, this meant that the pup would grow without her presence. Whilst Sesshoumaru had no doubt that he would be more than capable of supervising Sachimaru's upbringing, he knew that the pup needed his mother. And the Western castle would be… different without her presence.

No, the miko has to remain.

Perhaps he should consider mating her.

Sesshoumaru waited for the spike of displeasure at the notion.

It never came.

Instead, a strange warmth enveloped him at the thought of having the miko by his side as his mate. Puzzled by his reaction, Sesshoumaru wondered when exactly his aversion to mating had ceased. Perhaps it was simply because he had gotten to know the miko better. She was a strong miko, not only in her powers but also in her mind and personality. In addition to that, she was certainly not lacking in terms of physical attributes. His body immediately reacted as he recalled their coupling. It had happened more than a year ago, but it was still fresh in his mind.

Yes, perhaps he should present this option to the miko.

* * *

This whole courtship thing seemed to be progressing so fast.

Kagome sighed heavily as she pulled the cover over Sachimaru's sleeping form.

No. Actually, now that she thought about it, Akiyama had declared his intentions almost a year ago. In effect, they had been dating for a year now. If this was happening in the future, they would surely have kissed by now. So she should not be so surprised at what had happened earlier today. Right? Akiyama had been patient. Much more than she had expected from a demon lord, who she assumed would expect to get what he wanted without too much fuss. Something like Sesshoumaru, she supposed.

Groaning, she buried her face in her knees.

The kiss only served to muddle her thoughts even further. She could not help but to compare Akiyama's gentle but heated kiss with Sesshoumaru's possessive ones.

Akiyama's kiss had stunned her and she felt bad now, realizing that she should have responded instead of freezing up. It was just because she was surprised, right? But that had not happened when Sesshoumaru kissed her. She had responded to Sesshoumaru quite shamelessly, even though Sesshoumaru was only trying to prove a point. To show her that he was capable of arousing her.

She glowered. It definitely worked, if her reaction was anything to go by. Getting the kiss out of her mind had been nothing short of impossible. Comparing and choosing between the kisses from the two demon lords was difficult.

When she realized what she was thinking, she frowned. Why did she even bother? She only had to choose if Sesshoumaru decided to court her. If he had any interest in her, surely he would say or do something, right?

Kagome tensed when she felt, rather than saw Sesshoumaru at the entrance to her room. Sachimaru was already asleep, so there was no reason for Sesshoumaru to turn up. Feeling rather self-conscious from the thoughts she had been having, she ventured uncertainly, "Sesshoumaru?"

For a moment, he simply stared at her. When he finally spoke, his voice was tight. "Miko, your… interactions with the Northern Lord are growing tedious."

Did he come in here just to tell her off about Akiyama? Her defenses immediately rose as she bristled. Was Sesshoumaru trying to pick a fight with her?

She scowled at him. "What do you care?"

"I assume you know that he means to mate you."

"I know, Sesshoumaru," she said with a long-suffering sigh. "Just in case you haven't noticed, we've been courting for months now."

"It does not bother you?" he asked.

Bother her? Why should she be bothered that she was treated well and to be reminded that she was her own person, not only someone's mother? A pang of something she could not identify spread in her chest. She thought everyone knew that they were courting. Especially Sesshoumaru, since Akiyama had told her that Sesshoumaru did not object to it. So why was he asking all these questions now? These were questions she had expected him to ask almost a year ago.

Looking up at Sesshoumaru, she smiled slightly and said, "No, Sesshoumaru. It doesn't bother me and I can't see the problem."

His expression became shuttered.

"Very well. In that case, this would be the appropriate time to make it known that this Sesshoumaru wishes to court you."

Jaw dropping, Kagome simply stared at him. What was he saying? She must have heard him wrong because there was no way he had just said what he did. He did not just say that he wanted to court her, right?

"Uh…Sesshoumaru? Do you mind repeating that?" she asked shakily.

He quirked an elegant brow. Calmly, he clarified, "This Sesshoumaru wishes to court you."

Kagome could not breathe. Why was he saying something like this? Was it just because Akiyama was courting her and he did not like it? Those were the last words she had expected from the stoic demon's mouth. Why did he want to court her? Was it the same reason as why he had kissed her?

The idea that Sesshoumaru was treating this merely as another one of his territorial squabbles with Akiyama broke her out of her stupor.

How dare he? After all this time, he still thought of her as something to be _possessed_?

All her previous grievances that she had buried deep inside her for the sake of peace bubbled up to the surface. Temper flaring, Kagome shot to her feet and stomped close to him. Planting her hands on her hips, she craned her neck up so that she could direct the full impact of her glare at him. Sesshoumaru simply stood unmoving, but she could see the sudden unease in his posture.

"Listen to me, you arrogant demon!" she hissed. "I'm not some piece of land to be fought for between you and Akiyama. So if you think can do this just so that Akiyama can't get his hands on me, then you're sadly mistaken."

"Miko-"

"I'm NOT DONE!" she bellowed, angered beyond belief. "When are you going to get it through your thick head that I'm a PERSON, with my own thoughts and emotions and all that? You can't force me to have sex with someone. You can't force me to stay and you definitely can't JUST DECIDE to court me. Why the hell would I want you to court me anyway, seeing how insignificant I am in your life? Things are going just fine as they are, and you have to bring something like this up!"

"Miko," he growled.

"You can't even call me by my name. I'm just 'Miko' to you. Or did it escape your notice that I actually have a name?"

A pair of hands clamped around her shoulders. "Listen to me," he hissed.

Pausing for breath, she snapped, "What?"

"This is not a simple territorial battle." He stopped suddenly, appearing to be thinking. Then he continued, "This Sesshoumaru does not wish for Sachimaru to grow up without his mother."

Kagome blinked at him. Yes, she had always thought that somehow or other, she would get Sachimaru to come with her. She opened her mouth to speak, but it seemed that Sesshoumaru was not done.

"There is also this rather… perplexing displeasure that this Sesshoumaru experiences when you mingle with the Northern Lord," he added stiffly.

Perplexing displeasure? What did he mean? That he was jealous? Was he doing this because he felt something for her and was _jealous _of Akiyama? Kagome closed her eyes in disbelief, groaning as she did so. Can this entire situation get any more messed up? Why must this have to happen the moment she made the decision to forget the odd attraction she had for Sesshoumaru?

"Miko…"

"Okaa-san?" Sachimaru mumbled groggily.

Kagome spun around, only now remembering that Sachimaru was sleeping not far away. The shouting must have woken him up. Turning away from Sesshoumaru, she walked towards her son and knelt down to soothe him. When Sachimaru's breath evened out, she stood up to face Sesshoumaru again.

The taiyoukai was tense as he stared at her with an unreadable look.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru. I can't answer you now," she whispered as she raised a hand to rub her forehead. "I need time to think this over."

His lips tightened. When he spoke, his voice was calm. "Consider it. But this Sesshoumaru will require an answer soon."

* * *

Kagome grimaced as she thought of the dream she had last night after Sesshoumaru had dropped them off at the shrine. Considering what had happened between them in the past, it came as no surprise that her younger self had been wary of Sesshoumaru's intentions, even though it was clear that she was already probably half in love with the taiyoukai. It had not helped that Sesshoumaru was so vague about his own feelings.

What she was experiencing now was as if history was repeating itself, albeit with a mellower version of Sesshoumaru. Should she be just as wary this time? Was she making a mistake by falling in love with him? Her lips twisted. It was not as if she could stop feeling that way.

A tug on her hand drew her attention to the boy beside her.

"Okaa-san? Where is Sesshoumaru-san's office?"

"It's not far." Glancing at the packet in her hand, she said, "We just have to drop this off at your grandmother's friend's shop. Ah, here we are. Come, Sachimaru."

Together, they walked into incense shop. The sweet scent tickled her nose and beside her, Sachimaru lifted a hand to cover his own. A matronly woman walked out to greet them.

"Kagome-chan. And Sachimaru-chan as well. Here, have a seat and I'll get you some tea."

Shaking her head as she handed the woman the packet, Kagome said, "I'm afraid we are in a bit of a rush, Kaoru-san."

"Oh! Alright, then. Thank you for bringing me this."

"It's no trouble, Kaoru-san. We'd better get going, though."

"Well, pop in sometime."

"We will."

Soon, they were out again in the streets. Lips twitching, Kagome remarked, "I think Sesshoumaru might not survive the smell in the shop."

Sachimaru nodded. "Demons have better senses, right?" Then his brows furrowed. "Why is he not picking us up?"

She smiled down at him. "He wanted to, but I wanted to go there so that I can introduce you to some of my… uh… old friends. I think you'll like them. And-" she paused, frowning as she heard something.

"What is it, Okaa-san?"

"I think I hear something."

Then the sound grew louder. It was a cry of pain from the alleyway up ahead. Someone was in trouble, she thought as she rushed forward, pulling Sachimaru along.

"Someone is hurt," she exclaimed.

"Shouldn't we call the police?" Sachimaru asked apprehensively as they skidded into the alleyway.

A man was crumpled against the wall, his long black wavy hair shielding his face from their view. Taking another step closer, Kagome ventured hesitantly, "Sir? Are you alright? Do you need help?"

The man lifted his head. A frisson of apprehension skated up Kagome's spine when she saw the dark red eyes adorning the man's face. He was a demon. And from the looks of things, he was not the friendly type.

She quickly took a step back when the man uncurled himself from the ground, revealing his tall, slender form. Sachimaru clutched at her leg and she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulders. It was a mistake to walk in the secluded alley all by themselves.

"How interesting," the man mused, staring at them.

"What are you talking about?" she asked warily, taking yet another step away.

"It seems that my informant is correct after all. This boy…he's Sesshoumaru's son, isn't he?"

Alarms went off in Kagome's head. Could this be the half-demon called Naraku that Sesshoumaru had been talking about? The one who was responsible for the mess at the moment? Lifting her chin, she snapped, "I don't know who you are but it's none of your business."

"Ah! Forgive me for my rudeness. I'm Naraku."

Kagome sucked in a sharp breath.

Smirking, he continued, "But it is my business. You see, Sesshoumaru has been most…unaccommodating over the years." His eyes gleamed in speculation as his gaze landed on Sachimaru. "So I thought he might need some…encouragement."

She held Sachimaru closer to her. "Leave us alone!" she hissed. "Don't think I'm not going to fight back."

He lifted a mocking brow. "Oh?"

"Okaa-san…" Sachimaru whined nervously.

"Stay behind me, Sachimaru," she instructed urgently.

"How touching," Naraku drawled. "A human protecting a hanyou. Tell me, what's so special about you that Sesshoumaru had chosen you above all the other lovely demonesses? After all, you're only human."

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "I may be human, but at least I'm not some sick power-hungry half-demon like you!"

Naraku growled. "You dare to insult me?!" Then his expression settled into a phony look of calm. "Maybe I should sample for myself what Sesshoumaru found so appealing."

Shivers of revulsion crawled up Kagome's spine at Naraku's not-so-subtle threat. Everything she had heard from Sesshoumaru and the rest did not prepare her for the reality of the disgusting creature she was facing now.

He took a step towards her.

"Stay away!" Kagome yelled, her nerves strung taut from her anxiety.

"Or what? You will hit me?" Naraku taunted.

Gritting her teeth, Kagome felt her offensive powers rise for the first time in the present day. She tried to calm herself, tried to recall what Katsuo had taught her so many years ago. The molten power flowed through her, charging her to capacity as she continued to glare at the hanyou in front of her.

Naraku's eyes narrowed. "You are a miko."

Without any warning, a series of slimy black tentacles exploded towards her. Eyes widening in alarm, Kagome snatched Sachimaru up and threw them both out of the way. Panic instantly gave way to fury when she saw the terrified expression in her son's eyes. Naraku would not get away with this.

"Don't move," she warned as she cast a barrier around Sachimaru, surprising herself that she remembered how to do it even with the lack of practice. The barrier was weak, but she hoped that it would hold.

Then she spun around to face the sneering hanyou.

"Only a weak miko, then," Naraku spat. "Still, it doesn't matter. There are better uses for you and that half breed kid."

"You touch my son and you'll die," Kagome yelled, planting her feet securely on the ground in preparation to attack.

Red slits stared back at her. "You're not the first one to threaten me," he hissed just as he swung his arms forward.

A blast of red youki sped its way to her. Reacting instinctively, Kagome raised her palms and her pearlescent miko energy exploded outwards to collide with Naraku's attack. The redness instantly hissed into nothing, much to Kagome's satisfaction.

Before she could release another attack, Naraku's tentacle shot towards her. She ducked away from the first one, only to find another one slamming against her back. The impact threw her against the brick wall with a loud crack, and the air from her lungs left her in a rush. Kagome groaned at the piercing pain shooting through her body as she slid down the wall to land in a heap at its base.

A pair of black boots came into view just second before a hand fisted in her hair, yanking her head back so that she was staring right up at the hanyou. His lips slowly twisted into a cruel smile.

"Not so brave now, are we, little miko?"

* * *

A/N: Hope you liked it! If you can, please review and let me know what you think. Thanks! 


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu, Moriko and Eiko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you all for reading and for reviewing. If you missed by A/N last chapter, and was wondering why I didn't update, it was because I was away on a vacation and it kinda threw my update schedule into a mess! Anyway, the next chapter is here now, a very long one, and I hope that you will like it.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 21**

"Not so brave now, are we, little miko?"

Kagome's head snapped to the side as Sachimaru's frantic voice reached her. "Stop! Let go of her!" her son yelled as he clawed at the barrier.

"DON'T MOVE, Sachimaru! Or I will be very angry with you," she shouted in warning, knowing fully well that her son would try to defend her. The effort made her cough and to her consternation, she saw blood spattering out of her mouth.

"Okaa-san-"

"I mean it, Sachimaru!" she reiterated harshly when it looked as if Sachimaru might break through. His red youki, streaked by pearlescent strands were surging around him. Dimly, she realized that this was the first time she had seen it in the present time.

Lowering himself in front of her, Naraku drawled, "Now…now… All this is unnecessary if only you just choose to be obedient."

She spat up at him and watched with satisfaction when the bloody spittle trailed down his cheek. His eyes narrowed just a second before his hand descended swiftly. Her head snapped sharply to the side at the impact on her cheek. Still, she refused to bend. She could feel the shock of his last attack wearing off, and although she felt as if she might have broken a few bones, her miko powers were rising again.

He reached out and tightened his grip in her hair, making her eyes water in pain. "Defy me, little miko… and you will pay."

That was it! Reaching up, she grabbed his arms.

With all her might, Kagome released whatever that was left of her miko powers into him. Naraku's eyes widened in alarm, and she held on as the pearlescent glow intensified where her hands met his arms. His skin began to ripple and darken from the effect of the pure energy flowing into his body.

"Let go!" Naraku snarled as his knees buckled under the assault.

Her entire body was protesting against the strain, but she clung on as the stench of burning flesh filled the alleyway. Naraku would not get away from this unharmed if she could help it.

Then the hanyou released a bellow of rage when her fingers made contact with what felt like bones. His flesh had melted off under her relentless grip. She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to witness the horrifying sight. But she could still feel him struggling in front of her.

Why was he not dying?

Just when she thought that she could not hold on any longer, she was forced backwards. She slammed hard against the wall, the air around her whirring rapidly as Naraku tore away from her grasp.

Then silence descended upon them.

Kagome opened her eyes apprehensively as she tried to get up, only to find that she was unable to do so. Through her hazy vision, she could see that there was nothing in the alleyway except her and Sachimaru. Naraku was gone. Escaped.

He fled. That disgusting bastard ran away, she thought with vicious satisfaction.

"Okaa-san…"

It was not safe for him to come out yet. She could not protect him. "N-No…S-stay in… the barrier…" she choked out weakly.

To her alarm, the barrier dissolved as Sachimaru forced his way through it. His blurry form came closer and she could see his youki swirling madly around him, a sign of his agitation. Kagome tried to cast another barrier spell, but her arms refused to cooperate. She was too weak, too drained and too hurt.

Dimly, she heard the sound of approaching sirens. Had someone called the police? She wanted to see what was going on, but her eyelids were growing heavier and heavier. Swimming in darkness, she could only hear shuffles and footsteps around her. Sachimaru, she thought desperately. She had to wake up to make sure that he was alright. Her son was right beside her – she could feel it, and she could hear the soft whines from his throat.

Someone was yelling. "There's a woman and a boy! The woman was attacked."

The footsteps came closer. She tried to open her eyes, to sit up and to tell them about Naraku, but her body did not want to obey.

"I need to contact your father. Can you give me his name?" a man asked urgently.

His frantic voice was growing softer and softer, but she heard Sachimaru reply in a rush, "Taishou Sesshoumaru."

Then she surrendered herself to darkness.

* * *

Seated behind his desk in his office, Sesshoumaru listened as the hanyou before him reported the latest findings.

Katsuo's expression was grim. "One of the carnival demons, Shuuran said he might have seen Naraku hanging around the city. He's not sure but I thought you would want to know."

Sesshoumaru stood up. "Where?" he asked, deciding that he would see to this himself, for Naraku's scent was not unfamiliar for him.

"The district between here and the east. Shall I concentrate the search team around that area?"

Deciding that Naraku might just be trying to cause some distraction, Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Keep them where they are. I will see to this."

With a nod, Katsuo left his office.

Sesshoumaru was about to leave when a knock sounded on his door. "Yes?" he called out.

The door opened to reveal a worried looking Natsumi, whose tail was hidden beneath her long skirt. Sesshoumaru frowned, wondering how long it would take Shiori to reverse the effects. The demons needed their concealment.

"Mr. Taishou. There are a couple of policemen downstairs to see you."

His brow furrowing, Sesshoumaru wondered what they could possibly want with him. He just hoped that it had nothing to do with the recent demon exposure. There was no reason for them to suspect him of anything, seeing that his reputation and his new concealment were still secure. However, denying them entry would raise suspicions.

"Send them up."

Natsumi left and a moment later, two policemen stepped into his office. Sesshoumaru rose to his feet the second he caught sight of the silver haired pup walking between the two humans.

"Chichi-ue!" Sachimaru called out loudly as he launched away from the policemen.

The pup's greeting had the effect of stunning Sesshoumaru into complete immobility. Before his mind could process what Sachimaru had just called him, Sesshoumaru reached out and caught the body of his flying son. Questions ran through his head. Did Kagome tell Sachimaru about their relationship? Did they not agree to take it slowly? Why was Sachimaru with the police? Where was Kagome? Did something happen to her?

"Sachimaru? Where's your Okaa-san?" he asked quietly, focusing his attention on his son's distraught golden eyes. Something was wrong. He could feel it.

Sachimaru's lips trembled as his eyes began to shimmer. "They took her to the hospital."

Sesshoumaru gave him a stern look. "Do not cry." It would not do to allow the pup to wail. Such behavior was frowned upon.

The pup instantly gulped down his sobs, his spine stiffening.

Turning his attention to the policemen for the first time, Sesshoumaru barked, "What happened?"

One of the policemen spoke up, "I'm afraid your wife has been attacked."

Attacked? Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "And the attacker?"

"He was gone by the time we got there."

"Where is…my wife?"

"She's in the Tokyo District Hospital."

It was a government-run hospital. The facilities were nowhere as sophisticated as Shiori's. That was simply not acceptable. Without another word, Sesshoumaru swept past the two policemen. He had to see her, to move her to a more secure location until he discovered who had the audacity to launch an attack on her.

Instantly, the situation with Naraku appeared in his mind. Gritting his teeth at the hanyou's bad timing, Sesshoumaru pulled out his phone.

"Inuyasha," he barked when the call connected.

"Why the hell do you sound like that?" Inuyasha retorted brashly.

"Speak to Katsuo now. He has a lead on Naraku and I want you to follow up on it."

Inuyasha sputtered. "He is found?"

He had no time to explain. "Speak to Katsuo. And make sure you do not let the hanyou escape."

With that, he hung up. Much as he wished to personally sink his claws into the hanyou's neck, Sesshoumaru knew that he could not.

At least, not until he ascertained that his miko was safe.

* * *

Fury like none he had ever felt before rose within Sesshoumaru as he regarded the miko's prone form.

The strips of bandages peeking out beneath her hospital gown informed him of just how badly she was hurt. Tubes snaked out from various spots, making her look as if she was only surviving with the help of those gadgets. Amidst the stench of modern medicines, Sesshoumaru could tell that the attack was demonic in nature, and the scent was specific to the hanyou Naraku.

He clenched his hands into fists, willing himself not to lash out in anger. Turning to the doctor, he said stonily, "She will be transferred to Tsukuyo Medical."

The bespectacled middle-aged doctor frowned. "Mr. Taishou, your wife is gravely injured. We need to keep her here so that we can treat her."

Sesshoumaru gave him a hard look. "Tell me, do you even know how to treat such injuries?"

Taken aback, the doctor stiffened. "We are trying our best, Mr. Taishou," he said defensively.

Lips curling in derision, Sesshoumaru pointed out, "The staff at Tsukuyo Medical will not need to try. They will _know_ what to do."

"But…"

Sesshoumaru hardened his expression further as he eyed the doctor. "Perhaps I should allow her to remain here. That way, in the event that she suffers permanent damage from this injury, I could sue you."

The doctor gulped. "Please. Do not be too hasty. I'm sure we can make her comfortable enough for a transfer."

"Now."

"Certainly, Mr. Taishou."

With that, the doctor left the room swiftly. The doctor's capitulation did little to ease Sesshoumaru's fury at the sorry sight of the miko. He was angry not only at the one who had dared to attack her, but also at himself for failing to foresee such an occurrence, considering their growing closeness. He should have anticipated Naraku's move.

Lowering himself beside her still form, he reached out to stroke her pale, clammy cheeks. He should have protected her from this. He should have made sure that the mother of his pup was safe. That the one he wanted as his mate was safe.

* * *

Pain.

Pain was all she felt.

Kagome sucked in a sharp breath as she cracked her eyes open to see nothing but a mass of unidentifiable blur. Why was she in so much pain? Her entire body was burning and she could felt odd tingles everywhere.

Then it all came back to her in a rush.

"Sachimaru!" she exclaimed, trying to sit up.

A firm hand on her shoulders stilled her movements. Blinking to clear her vision, she raised her eyes to the owner of the hand. Even before she reached his face, she already knew who it was. Sesshoumaru. He was seated on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on her, wordlessly warning her to remain still.

"Sesshoumaru, where's Sachimaru?" she asked frantically, her heart thudding rapidly.

Sesshoumaru released her shoulders and said evenly, "He is unharmed. The police brought him to me earlier. Once you were transferred here, I asked Rin to pick him up."

"Rin?" The name sounded familiar.

"You met me at her house months ago. Sachimaru will be safe with her. She's like a daughter to me. I believe you might know of her mate as well. He is the host in the Demon Carnival," he explained quietly.

Now she remembered. "The redhead with the bushy tail?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Sachimaru needs some…distraction at the moment, and Rin's kits will provide it."

Relief coursed through her at the knowledge that Sachimaru was safe. Slumping back, she rubbed her head, wincing when a burning pain lanced through her. She was badly hurt, that was for sure. It was a miracle that she was actually alive. Sesshoumaru's words suddenly came back to her rather belatedly.

"How did the police end up bringing Sachimaru to you?" she asked.

His lips twitched. "The pup told them that I am his father."

A smile slowly grew on Kagome's lips. Sachimaru must have guessed, but did not say anything to them. "It's the truth. And no one could miss the resemblance."

"Sachimaru _knows_ that I'm his father."

"I didn't tell him, so he must have guessed."

"Perhaps. He addressed me as 'Chichi-ue' when the police brought him to the office and had continued to do so afterwards. When I asked, he told me that he just knew. It was instinctive."

"That's odd. But then again, Sachimaru has always been incredibly perceptive," she said thoughtfully.

"Indeed." After a short pause, he asked grimly, "What happened?"

Naraku's sneering face flashed across her mind and Kagome instantly tensed in anger. "Naraku came up and tried to snatch Sachimaru. I tried to fight back, but I was too weak. Just wait until I see him again…" she growled.

"You will do no such thing," he ground out.

She glanced up to find him tense all over. The taiyoukai's eyes were streaked with red.

"Sesshoumaru?" she called out, placing a cautious hand on his arm. Sesshoumaru was angry and she did not blame him. After all, Naraku had threatened his son.

Sesshoumaru hand clamped down on hers, making her jump. Slowly, the redness in his eyes began to recede as he regained control over his rage. Giving her a look of warning, he cautioned, "Do not do anything foolish. I will handle this matter."

Annoyance jolted through her. He was talking as if the whole thing did not involve her at all. "He was threatening me as well, you know. I want to pay him back for every lash of his stupid tentacles! I just need to… practice. I remember all of Katsuo's training."

His eyes narrowed, a sure sign of his displeasure. "You will not put yourself in harm's way."

Kagome bristled at his tone. "Don't talk to me like that! You don't own me, remember?"

Eyes flickering with an indescribable emotion, he released her hand to place his own on the bed, on either side of her face. Effectively caging her with his body, he leaned down until their noses were almost touching. Kagome's eyes grew large as she held her breath, unsure what to expect.

His voice was strangely husky when he murmured, "No. No one owns you. It is… important to me that you remain safe."

A lump formed in her throat, rendering her incapable of speech. She could recognize the look in his eyes now. Sesshoumaru cared for her. And he feared for her safety. His earlier rage had not only been on Sachimaru's account, but hers too.

The very idea was overwhelming.

"You and Sachimaru will stay with me until Naraku is dealt with."

Surprised, she jerked up to find herself halted by his immovable chest. What did he mean? That she should move into his place so that he could watch over her? What if she did not want to? Irritated, she glared into his face.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sesshoumaru. I can take care of myself."

He gave her a thoughtful look. "And what about Sachimaru?" he asked quietly.

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Do not be difficult. You know that it is safer for Sachimaru and yourself. Now that Naraku knows your identity, he would stop at nothing to capture both of you. It is not possible for you to watch Sachimaru all the time, but the mansion is highly secured."

Closing her eyes, Kagome groaned out loud. That was just not fair. He was using Sachimaru to get his way. But was she being stubborn for the sake of being stubborn? She took a deep breath before opening her eyes again to look into his golden orbs.

"It is only temporary, right?" she ventured cautiously.

A strange light flickered in his eyes. "Until it is deemed unnecessary."

"What about the rest of my family?" she asked worriedly. "I can't just leave them at the shrine. Naraku might use them to get at us."

His lips thinned slightly. "They will be offered the same protection. I can assign some guards to maintain the shrine while they are away."

Kagome nodded slowly. She supposed it all made sense. And anyway, her family deserved a little break from all the work tending to the shrine. The only thing now was to convince them. She was quite sure that her mother and Souta would not be a problem, but Jii-chan was another matter. He would not take it well, having to live in a demon's home for an unspecified period of time.

"Alright, I'll do it. I still have to talk to my family, though."

"Hn."

Evidently satisfied by her answer, he raised himself off her. Kagome's arms immediately wrapped around her body. Now that Sesshoumaru's warmth was gone, she felt a little cold.

However, when he lowered his head to brush his lips over her dry lips, she felt herself heating up again, for another reason. She reached up reflexively to hold on to his arms as he shifted sideways to nuzzle her cheeks.

"I will return soon. There is something I must see to," he said into her ears before straightening to his full height. "In the meantime, you will rest."

Then he turned and walked out of the room.

* * *

Sesshoumaru allowed a smug smirk to pass over his lips as he walked out of Tsukuyo Medical past the additional security guards around the place.

Convincing the miko to move in with him was easier than he had anticipated. Once she and their pup were there, he would ensure that she would have no reason to leave again. The short trip to the island had convinced that he wished for them, both Sachimaru and Kagome, to live with him under the same roof.

Permanently.

The next step would be to persuade her to take him as a mate. His eyes narrowed in anticipation of the challenge. It would not be easy considering their past, but he was determined to convince her and this time, he was prepared to do what it took to give her what she wished for. Even to the extent of tolerating her grandfather.

Satisfied that his personal affairs were in order, Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the unpleasant thought of Naraku. Once again, his fury flared. Stepping into his car, he proceeded to drive toward Taishou Security's headquarters. When he arrived, he went straight down to the basement where the newly captured wind sorceress was being held.

Sesshoumaru's eyes landed on the female sitting on the bare floor behind the youki-infused bars. The demoness was staring at him as he approached.

His guards stood to attention. "Mr. Taishou," they greeted respectfully.

Eyes not leaving the female who was studying him curiously, Sesshoumaru asked, "Any progress?"

"No," one of the guards replied. "She refuses to cooperate."

The demoness Kagura uncurled her legs and stood up. She approached as close to the demon-proof bars as she could, smiling slightly. "Lord Sesshoumaru… If you want something from me, all you need to do is ask," she drawled in a suggestive voice.

His insides recoiled in distaste. There was no mistaking what the demoness was offering. As if he would lower himself to rut with her. "Then speak. Where is Naraku?" he bit out.

"How disappointing. I thought you'd want something else. Oh well…" She spun around to return to her position on the ground. "Naraku's location? Now _that_ is something I don't know."

"Do not lie."

Kagura shrugged. "What is in it for me if I tell you? You'd just kill me off afterwards. Hardly any incentive for me to speak up, right?"

The wind sorceress wished to trade? This he did not expect. Turning around to leave, Sesshoumaru paused by his guards and instructed, "Find out what the demoness wants in return for information."

The guard nodded and Sesshoumaru continued to make his way out of the basement.

In the meantime, he would take another approach. What the miko had told him about Menomaru's companion coupled with Naraku's attack meant that the Chinese moth demon was involved in this, that Menomaru had lent Naraku his aid. This did not come as a surprise, for Menomaru's hatred for humans was well known.

Sesshoumaru froze. Menomaru was based in China. Was that why all attempts to locate Naraku had been unsuccessful? Was Menomaru hiding Naraku in China? Surely Menomaru would not aid a half-demon to such an extent at the risk of implicating himself.

Perhaps the notion of gaining power over Japan had clouded the moth demon's mind.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in determination. Naraku would be found even if he, Sesshoumaru had to travel to China to detain him. But first, he had to contact another demon lord. Niu Mo Wang was neutral and had always been. The bull demon would not refuse him aid if it was a matter of security.

* * *

Kagome opened her eyes, wincing in pain before she noticed the silent figure at the corner of the private room. She tensed momentarily before she recognized her visitor. Then she relaxed, forcing a weak smile to her lips.

"Akiyama," she greeted.

"How are you feeling, Kagome?"

"How do you think I feel? Like I've been run over by a truck," she muttered grumpily as she tried to sit up.

Akiyama was instantly by her side, wearing an anxious look. "No, don't get up."

Not having the energy to argue, she relented and sank down into the bed. "I'll listen, for once," she remarked in a defeated tone.

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "That would be the day."

She rolled her eyes. "Stop teasing me, Akiyama. I really want to get up, though. I've been here far too long."

"Only when you're better."

"Right," she breathed out petulantly.

His eyes flickered. "I'm sorry I did not speak to you at the island. Not by choice, I assure you."

"It's alright. Sesshoumaru explained the protocol."

Akiyama nodded. "Did you like it there?"

"It was nice. Sachimaru loved it too. It was very peaceful." Then she frowned. "Well, except for this little incident near the waterfalls with these two demonesses called Hari and Ruri. That was not that pleasant.

His eyes narrowed. "I heard from Sesshoumaru that Menomaru might be involved in this."

"Yes. I think Hari and Ruri must have told Menomaru about Sachimaru. And he told Naraku," she bit out, her fury rising again at the memory of the threat to her son.

Akiyama placed a hand on her shoulders. "Don't get too riled up now. You need to heal."

The elemental's concern for her brought forth a feeling of guilt.

And she knew why.

It would be dumb of her not to realize that after everything, even with Akiyama courting her in both times, the one she wanted was Sesshoumaru. And it was unfair to lead Akiyama on when she knew that it was unlikely that she would mate him.

This was probably not the best time to broach the subject, but she felt compelled to do so.

She knew that it would not be easy. After all, she _had_ formed some sort of bond with Akiyama in the past and the last thing she wanted was to hurt the elemental, who had done nothing but treat her well. And she knew that what she was about to say would hurt him.

"Is something wrong, Kagome?"

She took a deep breath to steel herself. "Akiyama, I need to tell you something and to… apologize."

His eyes widened briefly, and then a look of dawning comprehension suffused his features. A moment of silence followed.

When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet. "I take it that you no longer wish for me to court you?"

"Perceptive as always," she remarked uneasily.

"Are you certain of your decision?" he asked.

Kagome nodded.

He gave her a resigned smile. "I suppose it was simply a matter of time. It only took the two of you five hundred years."

Her eyes widened. "You thought that there was something going on and you _still_ wanted to court me?"

Shaking his head, he said regretfully, "I was never certain of where you place your affection. And there is always a possibility that you might come to your senses and forget Sesshoumaru."

Kagome sputtered, "Honestly, Akiyama. How could you say something like that?" Then she bit her lips when she saw the flicker of pain in his eyes. He was more affected by this than he was letting on. "I'm sorry I misled you."

"You did not do anything wrong, Kagome. You promised me nothing and the courting was meant for you to decide if you wished to be with me. But I'm not going to deny that it hurts that you chose him," he said quietly. Then in a lighter tone, he added, "He would be unbearably smug after this. And I'm still not certain he is worthy of someone like you."

She felt a pang in her heart. Akiyama really did not deserve this. Especially when Sesshoumaru had not said anything about courting her in this present time. For all she knew, he was quite happy for things to remain as they were.

"He didn't say a thing to me," she muttered. "He didn't say he wants to court me."

"He will. One would be a fool not to see how much he cares," Akiyama pointed out bluntly. "And you're not a fool. So don't ignore the obvious. One fool is enough in the relationship."

Her lips twitched. "Calling him names behind his back, huh?"

"I would do to his face, given the opportunity," Akiyama remarked darkly.

She could not help but to apologize again. "I'm really sorry, Akiyama."

Leaning down to cup her cheeks in his hands, he studied her, as if trying to memorize her. His blue eyes were stormy with suppressed emotion and Kagome bit her lips at the knowledge that she was the one who put it there. If only she had not accepted his proposal in the Feudal Era. But then again, how was she to know that she would end up falling in love with Sesshoumaru instead?

Then Akiyama blinked and a calm façade came on. Releasing her, he took a step back. "Do not concern yourself. I am rather resilient," he murmured. "Now rest and get well. I will visit again to see how you're getting on."

"Thank you, Akiyama."

With a small nod, he turned around and left the room, allowing her to sag back into the bed. It had been awkward, but she was relieved that she finally resolved one mess in her life.

Overwhelmed by a sudden wash of emotional fatigue, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to sink into her dreams.

* * *

The birds overhead chirped merrily amidst the forest greenery, spurred on by the brilliant sunshine and the gentle breeze.

Kagome glanced up and glared, irritated that the birds did not share her black mood. She had insisted on following Inuyasha on one of his patrols when Sesshoumaru told her that Sachimaru would be commencing his studies without her distracting presence. The last half a day of traveling had done nothing to ease her annoyance.

The nerve of the taiyoukai, she fumed as she stomped alongside Inuyasha. Sachimaru was only short of one year old and Sesshoumaru was already insisting on _lessons_? And she was _banned _from participating? She was Sachimaru's _mother._ Why should she be excluded from something like this?

Or was Sesshoumaru using this as some sort of trick to force her to make her decision about the courting? Keep her away from Sachimaru until she broke?

Sesshoumaru's request to court her had been unexpected, shocking even. Her lips thinned. How was she supposed to make this kind of decision knowing what she knew about him? Knowing what happened the last time they mated? She had been thinking about it over and over again but she was no closer to an answer.

"Oi! What's wrong with you?"

Kagome paused in her steps, trying to find a way to reply. Then the muscle under her eye began to twitch when she remembered why she was out there in the first place.

"Sesshoumaru and his lessons. What else?" she exploded. "Sachimaru is still so young. Why does he need lessons?"

Inuyasha paused, turning a pair of surprised golden eyes towards her. Then he snorted. "Sachimaru needs the discipline early, otherwise he will be out of control in a few years' time."

Kagome blinked in confusion. "Out of control?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, looking irritated. "Don't you know anything? Sachimaru is part youkai. Without guidance, his base instincts will drive him to behave like a wild animal."

Before she could say anything, Inuyasha tensed. Whipping around, his eyes sharpened at an invisible point in the distance.

"What?" she whispered anxiously.

"Someone's coming."

A moment later, two demon slayers appeared and skidded to a halt some distance away from them. Kagome gasped. The last thing she had expected was to encounter the much talked about demon slayers.

As the slayers stared at them threateningly, Kagome swore she could feel the forest foliage around her vibrate with the tension in the air. She did not recognize the male demon slayer, but she recognized the slender female who stood glaring at them. The demon slayer's name was Sango, if she remembered correctly from their first encounter so long ago.

"Leave!" Sango ordered, her hand reaching back to bring forth a very large boomerang.

Kagome's eyes widened. Holding her hands out in a placating move, she hurried, "Wait! We don't mean you any harm!"

Inuyasha pushed her behind him, swinging Tetsusaiga forward. "Keh! Get out of the way, Kagome! I'll teach her not to mess with demons."

"Inuyasha!" she admonished. "Don't!"

"Why are you siding with demons?" Sango asked, the glint of threat in her eyes not lessening.

Kagome blinked. Katsuo's words suddenly came back to her, reminding her of the hatred between her species and demons. "I…umm…" she faltered, unsure how she should reply.

Sango studied her carefully. "I thought that you were being forced the last time, but now I see that I'm wrong. You dress as a miko and yet you are traveling with demons."

"Apparently I _am_ a miko," Kagome admitted flatly.

Eyes widening in disbelief, Sango simply stared at her. "You are a true miko? How could you betray your own kind?" she then snapped furiously. "It's disgusting, a pure creature turning evil."

Kagome gasped at the vehemence in the other girl's tone.

Then Sango turned away from her and fixed her attention on Inuyasha instead. Aiming the boomerang at Inuyasha, she shouted, "Prepare to die, demon!"

"Let's see how long you can last under my attack," Inuyasha retorted heatedly as he launched himself towards the girl.

"NO!" Kagome yelled. She did not want them to fight. Somehow, she could sense that the girl was not evil and she genuinely thought that she was doing the right thing. Sure Inuyasha was half demon. But like the other demons she knew, he was not evil or anything like that.

Kagome watched in trepidation as the slayer and Inuyasha launched at each other. Boomerang raised in readiness, Sango looked determined to kill, but completely unperturbed, Inuyasha simply charged with his transformed Tetsusaiga. Then Sango released her weapon and the boomerang spun through the air straight at the hanyou.

"Watch out, Inuyasha!" Kagome called out frantically.

In a blink of an eye, Inuyasha shifted his stance and Tetsusaiga deflected the boomerang, sending it into a nearby tree. Eyes gleaming, Sango dove for her weapon only to be intercepted by Inuyasha. Dodging a swing from Tetsusaiga, Sango landed some distance away.

"Kirara!" she called out.

Kagome's eyes widened as a large white cat appeared out of nowhere to land beside the demon slayer. That could not be a normal cat, she thought as she eyed the large fangs and the fire wreathing the cat's tail and paws. It must be a demon. One which Sango was climbing onto right at that moment.

Inuyasha hefted Tetsusaiga onto his shoulder and snorted. "Keh! So you don't have a problem _using_ a demon to help you. All your talk about demons means nothing."

Sango ignored him. Instead, she spoke to the large cat demon. "Kirara, let's get Hiraikotsu."

Still standing beside the boomerang, Inuyasha's eyes narrowed at the demon slayer and the demon cat as he readied Tetsusaiga. "Ready to taste my Tetsusaiga, slayer?" he taunted brashly.

The cat called Kirara snarled while Sango glared at Inuyasha. A moment later, the duo was streaking through the air straight at Inuyasha.

Kagome clenched her hands. She could not let this continue. They were going to kill each other and she did not want anyone to die.

Mind made up, Kagome raised her hand and focused her powers. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her powers forward, aiming at the space between the two figures. A pearlescent beam exploded from her palms and shot straight forward just as Inuyasha slashed Tetsusaiga downwards.

A loud crack sounded and the demon slayer and Inuyasha were thrown apart.

Inuyasha was up in one blink on an eye, turning to her with an incredulous look. "What the hell did you do that for?" he shouted.

"I don't want you to kill them!" she yelled back. "They're just doing what they think is right."

The two demon slayers looked at her strangely. Then Sango asked curiously, "You're helping us?"

Kagome bit her lips uncertainly. Without answering the other girl, she turned back to Inuyasha. "Let's go," she said. After all, the demon slayers should stop once they leave.

"Are you out of your mind? I'm going to kill them!" he declared heatedly.

Kagome held out a hand in warning. "Don't force me, Inuyasha."

"Keh!"

Ignoring her, he charged back towards the demon slayers. Irritated, Kagome's lips thinned. Before Inuyasha could get to the slayers, she released a burst of miko energy, trapping Inuyasha in a protective bubble.

As Inuyasha snarled, Kagome turned to Sango. "I think it's better for you to leave before he breaks out of the barrier."

Sango's eyes widened.

Then the slayer nodded.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was incensed.

Standing on the raised platform outside his study, he allowed himself to be flooded by his grievances.

When Inuyasha had returned with a thunderous expression on his face, Sesshoumaru had demanded a full report. It appeared that the miko had thwarted their attempt to remove the demon slayers from the Western Lands.

The miko had taken the side of the demon slayers, who were at the present moment, the enemy of the Western Lands. Although he had released her, he had fully expected her to remain loyal to him. Especially now that he had declared his intention to court her, to give her the title of Lady of the Western Lands.

Instead, she chose to defend the humans.

It should not surprise him. After all, her actions in the past had proven that she would not always take his side. Sesshoumaru glowered inwardly, recalling her decision concerning Akiyama's courting. That in itself should tell him something.

His pup and the miko were approaching, he suddenly realized as he sensed their presence. He managed to recompose his features into one of mild disinterest before the shoji screen slid open.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Chichi-ue?"

Turning around to face his pup, Sesshoumaru softened his expression. Sachimaru ran forward on his short, chubby legs, finally skidding to a halt just before a collision. Reaching down, Sesshoumaru ran his hand over the pup's thick silver locks as he smiled happily. Vaguely, Sesshoumaru wondered if his sunny disposition was something he inherited from his mother, for it was certain that this characteristic was not prevalent in Inu-no–Taishou's blood.

Still smiling while he pulled out something from the folds of his red kimono, Sachimaru exclaimed, "Katsuo-ojisan made me a shakuhachi!"

Sesshoumaru glanced at the bamboo flute in Sachimaru's hand. Why did Katsuo give Sachimaru something which had the potential of creating _noise_? The pup would be better off with a bokken as a gift instead of a musical instrument.

"You are displeased?" the pup asked, his countenance deflating visibly.

"You will take lessons," Sesshoumaru declared firmly. At least then the noise would be bearable.

Sachimaru brightened.

Placing a hand on the pup's shoulders, Sesshoumaru instructed, "Now go and ask Jaken to procure a master of the shakuhachi."

"Hai!" With that, the pup bowed and ran out of the chamber, leaving him and the miko alone.

"More lesson for our son, Sesshoumaru?" the miko asked dryly, raising a questioning brow. "He's not even one year old yet."

"Soon he would be." His tone was flat, but he could not suppress the expression of displeasure.

The miko frowned at him, obviously sensing his emotion. "What's wrong?" she asked guardedly.

"You were assisting the demon-slayers," he accused.

A gasp escaped her lips as her eyes widened. "No! I just wanted to stop them from fighting. I don't want another one of the demon slayers to die."

"Why?" As far as he was concerned, he would be assured of peace in the Western Lands if they were all destroyed.

"Because it's not right. Why must humans and demons try to kill each other?"

"What relations do you have with the demon slayers?"

"I don't have any relationship with them. You know that, Sesshoumaru."

"And still, you aided them." How ridiculous.

"I told you that I was just trying to stop them from fighting. Why are you not listening?"

He refused to respond. It was pointless considering her foolish notions. And he did not understand why she insisted on defending the demon slayers. Particularly considering that she was fully aware of the threat they posed to the Western Lands, as well as other demon communities. The situation had escalated so much especially in the east, forcing Kouga to declare a war between the demons and the slayers. Although things were not as bad in the Western Lands, the miko had healed enough of his warriors and scouts to realize that the demon slayers were nuisances.

A series of respectful taps sounded, drawing Sesshoumaru out of his contemplations. It was his retainer and his son. Glancing up, he noticed that the miko was still staring at him, her eyes troubled. He was equally troubled by her loyalties. However, there was nothing to be done about it at the moment. Perhaps in time, she would realize how foolish her actions were.

Turning to the shoji screen, he called out, "Enter, Jaken."

The shoji screen slid open to admit the diminutive demon with Sachimaru next to him. The pup was probably attempting to convince Jaken to procure a tutor.

Obviously trying to ignore the indignity of his hand being held by the pup, Jaken bowed awkwardly. "We have a messenger from the Eastern Territories," he announced.

Sesshoumaru raised a questioning brow.

"The wolf prince requests your presence at the borders."

So, it had begun, Sesshoumaru thought.

* * *

Kagome sighed as Sesshoumaru walked out of his study with Jaken, leaving her staring at his departing back with Sachimaru beside her.

She should have known that he would be mad. But did he not understand that killing everything that stood in his way would not solve any problems? The demons and the demon slayers could just sit down and discuss things civilly, couldn't they? Why did they need to fight to solve the problems? It would only lead to a full-blown war eventually.

Feeling rather down, she took hold of her son's hand and left the study.

She supposed that it was simply cultural differences which made it hard for Sesshoumaru and her to see eye to eye on this subject. After all, she came from the future, where war was the last resort in any political conflict. This was the Feudal Era, where fighting was the norm.

Maybe she should just stay out of it. But how could she just stand back and watch while humans and demons kill each other?

After a while, Sachimaru's voice broke the silence. "Okaa-san?"

"Hmm?"

"Akane said something I didn't understand."

Kagome paused to glance down at her son. Akane was one of the inuyoukai maids. "What did she say?" she asked.

Sachimaru's face scrunched up in thought. "That they were happy that Chichi-ue is following his father's footsteps. But I didn't understand."

Kagome guessed that they were simply referring to the fact that Sesshoumaru had sired a hanyou child. Realizing that Sachimaru had overhead something he was not meant to, she shook her head and chided, "You shouldn't be eavesdropping, Sachimaru."

"I didn't do it purposely. They thought I was asleep but I wasn't," Sachimaru defended. "Akane also said that Chichi-ue should do the right thing."

Kagome froze, instantly realizing what Akane had meant by those words.

The courting.

In the end, it was a choice between Sesshoumaru, Akiyama or her remaining alone in the Feudal Era.

She had no idea what she should do about Akiyama. Why was it so difficult for her to just decide to accept Akiyama? Kami knows he had given her enough time to think about it. He was ridiculously patient and understanding, considering how much time he had invested. The rational part of her told her that Akiyama was a good option. He was someone who could provide her with the security she needed, both emotionally and in terms of protecting her interest in the Feudal Era.

Could it be that she was in fact, wanted all that from Sesshoumaru?

Could Sesshoumaru give her all that?

Maybe. If that was everything that was expected from a mate.

Suppressing a sigh, Kagome closed her eyes. Yes, it was beginning to look more and more like Sesshoumaru had done what was expected of him in asking to court her. Was that all it was? A duty to him? Something he had to do for the sake of honor?

Of course it was. What else could it be? After all, he had mentioned nothing about love.

* * *

Soft breeze that skated over the grassy slopes of the cliff top, gently swirling around the two figures that stood motionless, staring down into the vast space of the Eastern Territories. Kouga was a small form in the distance, but he was surrounded by the rest of his wolf tribe in preparation for the battle with the demon slayers.

"The demon slayers are confident," Akiyama remarked, sounding amused.

Eyes not leaving the scene in the distance, Sesshoumaru intoned flatly, "The humans are foolish."

"It is inevitable. The human population is growing fast and there is nothing we could do to stop it short of mass slaughter."

"Indeed."

"You're not considering such a thing, surely," Akiyama remarked dubiously.

"As long as they remain out of the way, there is no reason to do so," Sesshoumaru replied.

And if they refused to do so, they would be disposed of. As it was, he was rather displeased that their alliance had necessitated his presence in the Eastern Lands so close to his pup's birthday. He had been there for three days and no matter what, he would return to the Western Lands this evening.

"They will always be in the way, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Then they will perish. As they will today under Kouga's instructions."

Right at that moment, a hair-raising chorus of howls tore through the air as the wolves charged. In the distance, the demon slayers did the same, albeit without the howling. Sesshoumaru watched impassively as they clashed. His role was simply to observe and to display his support, as this was a battle waged by the Eastern Territories on the demon slayers. Sesshoumaru touched the hilt of the sword at his hips. And also to revive Kouga's warriors with his Tenseiga.

Akiyama glanced upwards into the sky. "Soon, it will be time to head to the Western Lands."

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. Could it be that Akiyama was referring to the same thing as he was thinking?

"It is best that we hurry, Sesshoumaru. Kagome will not be pleased if you are late for your son's birthday celebration."

"You were invited?"

Akiyama quirked a brow. "Did you expect otherwise?"

Sesshoumaru bit back an irritated growl.

* * *

As she ran her hand over Sachimaru's just-washed clothes to smooth them out, Kagome glanced out of the open shoji screen into the courtyard, noting the orangey sky which signified the approach of dusk.

Sesshoumaru had left a couple of days ago to tend to something which had cropped up in the east. Inuyasha had taken Sachimaru out of the castle to 'hunt', so that the celebration would be a surprise. Without Sachimaru, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, the castle should be quiet. However, there was an excited buzz in the air while the servants prepared for the feast.

She hoped that Sesshoumaru would get home in time for Sachimaru's birthday. Sachimaru would be disappointed if his father were not there.

As the taiyoukai's stoic features flashed across her mind, and Kagome sagged dejectedly. She also hoped that he had forgotten about the incident with the demon slayers. It had been quite a few days after all. She had known that he would be mad that she helped break up the fight. But what else could she do?

Maybe this would make him change his mind about courting her. Maybe then she would not have to give him the answer she had decided upon last night.

The more she thought about it, the more certain she felt about not tying him down to something he did not want, just for the sake of propriety and duty. What if he decided one day to mate with someone he really liked? The thought instantly sent a pang of jealousy through her. He would want to break the bond, and she did not think that she could go through that amount of pain again.

And she knew that if it happened, it would not only be a physical pain, but one which would affect her emotionally as well. It would be hard to let go of Sesshoumaru once she had a taste of what it was like being mated to him for a prolonged period.

No. For both her and Sesshoumaru's sakes, she just could not do it.

She bit her lips, wondering how she should word it to Sesshoumaru. Perhaps she had no reason to worry. Sesshoumaru would probably be relieved.

"My Lady?"

Kagome looked up to find Jaken standing by the other shoji screen. Giving the diminutive demon a smile, she asked, "Is everything alright, Jaken?"

Jaken nodded. "Everything is prepared. Lord Sesshoumaru just returned with Lord Akiyama and they are in the reception chambers."

She stood up and walked towards him. "What are we waiting for then? Let's go. Did you sound the signal for Inuyasha to return with Sachimaru?"

"It is done, My Lady."

"Thank you, Jaken."

* * *

The reception hall was filled with laughter and conversation as all those in the castle, including the warriors and servants celebrated Sachimaru's first birthday.

Empty bowls lying forgotten in front of her, Kagome watched quietly as Sachimaru climbed into his father's lap. Not batting an eyelid, Sesshoumaru simply shifted Sachimaru with one arm while he finished off the last of his meal.

Noticing that everyone had finished their meal, Kagome clapped her hands together and bounced up. The merry chatter around her immediately ceased. "Right! Presents, Sachimaru?"

Her son's eyes lit up and he immediately scrambled out of Sesshoumaru's lap. "Can I see it?" he asked as he ran towards her.

As everyone watched on, Kagome fished a colorful cloth-wrapped package out of the folds of her kimono and then bent down towards her son. "Here."

Eyes wide, Sachimaru took it and then peeled open the wrapping to reveal three carved wooden train carriages linked together. Kagome grinned inwardly when she recalled the look on the village craftsman's face when she had described what she wanted. She supposed that for someone who had not seen a train before, her request was rather odd.

Sachimaru beamed up at her, train securely clutched underneath one arm. "Thank you, Okaa-san!"

Then they were joined by Sesshoumaru, who reached out for one of his son's hand before he placed a small white object in it. Kagome's eyes rounded when the object melted into Sachimaru's palm.

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

"It is an old tradition to place the sire's fang into the pup," Inuyasha explained as he stepped closer. "Sesshoumaru's fang will grow as Sachimaru matures. Eventually, a weapon will manifest from it."

Kagome spun around to face Sesshoumaru. "You gave our one-year-old son a weapon?" she asked, aghast.

Sesshoumaru voice was flat when he said, "By the time it turns into a weapon, Sachimaru would be old enough to wield it."

"Oh."

All thought of weapon fled her mind when Inuyasha pushed past her to lift Sachimaru up. Staring into the pup's face, Inuyasha said gruffly, "I can't think of something to give you as a present, but when you're old enough, I'll teach you how to use that weapon your Chichi-ue gave you."

A strangled sound escaped from Sesshoumaru as Sachimaru nodded seriously at Inuyasha, but when Kagome turned around, the taiyoukai's expression was blank. She grinned inwardly, knowing that Sesshoumaru doubted Inuyasha's ability to teach Sachimaru such a thing.

Placing Sachimaru back on the floor, Inuyasha looked around and called out, "Who's next?"

Katsuo stepped forward. "This is something my mother gave me," he told Sachimaru as he placed the black chain with a circular pendant around Sachimaru's neck. "It will protect you."

Kagome gasped. She recognized the pendant and the chain as the one his mother had given him. "Katsuo, you don't have to do this."

Getting to his feet, the hanyou smiled. "It's just a simple gift, Kagome." Lowering his voice to a whisper, he said, "Anyway, until Natsumi agrees to be my mate, I just have to spoil someone else's pup."

"Thank you, Katsuo-ojisan!" Sachimaru chirped happily as he clutched the pendant.

Seeing the happiness in Sachimaru's eyes, Kagome softened. She guessed she could understand why Katsuo wanted to give something so precious to Sachimaru. As she continued to watch, a few of the servants came forward with little gifts for her son and Sachimaru accepted each with equal enthusiasm.

However, not long afterwards, Sachimaru's eyes began to droop, telling Kagome that it was his bedtime. Picking him up, she looked into his face.

"It's time for bed, birthday boy."

"But Okaa-san…"

She shook her head firmly. "Enough excitement for the day."

"Wait. I have a gift for Sachimaru."

Surprised, Kagome looked up at the elemental. "You didn't have to," she protested.

"It would be impolite if I didn't." Then Akiyama turned towards Sesshoumaru. "But only with Lord Sesshoumaru's permission as it is something that would remain permanently in Sachimaru until he chooses to reject it."

"What is the nature of this gift?" Sesshoumaru asked cautiously.

"I wish to bestow an enhancement on his skills of perception and empathy. As a hanyou, it would be useful to him, considering that a number of demons and humans would not accept his heritage," Akiyama explained.

As comprehension sank in, Kagome sagged slightly. Would Sachimaru be shunned if he was outside? Considering the demon slayers' reactions, it was likely. Perception and empathy were Akiyama's own skills, and he was generous to offer to bestow some on Sachimaru. And if Sachimaru possessed it, the pup would understand why things were the way it was.

"The opinion of others does not matter," Sesshoumaru finally said.

Akiyama quirked a brow. "It is unlikely that he would understand such a thing while he's so young, Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru's voice was tight when he said, "He would learn."

Kagome placed her hand on Sesshoumaru's arm, drawing his attention to her. "Please, Sesshoumaru. I think it'll be good for Sachimaru."

Sesshoumaru took on a contemplative look, obviously considering the implications of Akiyama's proposal. When she was about to prompt him again, he finally gave a short but definite nod. Kagome instantly brightened.

"Thank you."

* * *

Akiyama and the miko had raised a valid issue, one which had occurred to him when Sachimaru was born. However, he had deemed it unimportant, seeing that the pup would no doubt be stronger than most humans and demons. His demon heritage mixed with the miko's pure power ensured that. Nevertheless, although unnecessary, such a gift would be an additional benefit.

Perhaps he was simply displeased that it was Akiyama who wished to bestow this gift. The miko's gratitude did nothing to dispel the annoyance.

"This gift would be effective only if Sachimaru possess enough inner strength to hold it within himself," Akiyama explained as he stepped closer to the curious pup. "But from what I can tell, he is more than capable of it."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. The elemental would pay with his life if Sachimaru was harmed. He watched closely as Akiyama bent down towards his pup, keeping their eyes locked. The miko went to stand behind Sachimaru, slipping her arms around his small body.

"Lord Akiyama?" Sachimaru queried, blinking up at the elemental.

"Look into my eyes, Sachimaru," Akiyama instructed calmly as he brought their foreheads together.

Sesshoumaru heard the miko gasp when the waterdrop on Akiyama's forehead came into contact with their son. A bright blue glow radiated outwards from them, blinding everyone in the room momentarily. Alarmed, Sesshoumaru streaked towards his son.

Then the light was gone.

He immediately picked Sachimaru up, eyeing his son for any damage but thankfully found nothing untoward. In fact, the pup did not look any different. The miko joined him in inspecting their son, a puzzled frown adorning her brows.

"Did it work?" the miko asked as she reached out to stroke Sachimaru's forehead.

"It is done," Akiyama declared quietly. "I will take my leave tomorrow morning, for I promised Kouga that I would return to the east as soon as possible."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru replied absently as he carefully placed his son in the miko's arm. Then turning back to Akiyama, he added, "Kouga does not require both of us there."

The Northern Lord nodded. "There's not much point since you've revived all you could. I am certain that Kouga does not wish to impose on you further."

With that, the elemental left the room.

Soon, one after another, the rest of the demons departed, leaving him alone with the miko and his pup. She was seated on the platform outside the reception room, facing the courtyard with a sleepy Sachimaru cradled in her arms as she stared out into the view beyond. Sesshoumaru stepped closer to her and his eyes wandered out into the courtyard. The moon was mirrored on the surface of the hotsprings and the familiar scent calmed his senses. Or perhaps the calmness was due to the miko's peach scent.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she remarked, turning her head up to smile at him.

"Indeed."

"The sky was never this clear where I came from." The miko sounded wistful.

Sesshoumaru stiffened. Was the miko implying that she wished to leave? Or perhaps she simply wished to visit her family? A stab of remorse coursed through him when he realized that the miko had been in the Western Lands for almost two years without returning home, even to visit.

"Do you wish to visit your family?" he asked.

Lips parted in surprise, the miko blinked at him. A short while later, she averted her gaze. "I can't."

He frowned. Perhaps he had been mistaken then. Perhaps the miko had accepted her role and decided to forgo her past. Did that mean that she would accept his courtship proposal? Perhaps it was time for him to ask.

"Miko. Have you given any thought to the proposal?"

The miko tensed visibly, but she did not answer. An odd sense of discomfiture wrapped around him at her lack of response. Had he not given her enough time to consider what he offered?

"Miko?"

A heavy sigh sounded before she turned a pair of apologetic brown eyes at him. Icy fingers of apprehension began to crawl up his spine as he digested the implication of her expression. Could it be true?

She would refuse him, Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the Western Lands? The father of her son?

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru. But I can't."

He heard her words but it took a moment before those unwanted words sank in. "You can't," he echoed flatly.

She shook her head. "It's generous of you to offer. But really, you don't have to. I'm not going anywhere."

Generous of him to offer, he thought incredulously. Was that all that she could think of as an excuse? Or perhaps this was because of her attraction to the Northern Lord.

"What about Akiyama?" he asked dully.

She exhaled slowly. "I don't know. I haven't thought about it yet."

"But you have not rejected his suit."

A pause followed before she replied quietly, "No."

The miko had chosen the Northern Lord.

The miko had chosen Akiyama over him, Sesshoumaru.

A heavy silence cloaked them.

Numbness crept all over him as Sesshoumaru remained rooted to the spot. The miko's eyes were downcast, preventing him from reading her thoughts. What would he see? Discomfort? Remorse? Or perhaps delight that she had refused him?

His youki began to swirl erratically around him, threatening to explode at the merest provocation. Deciding that it would be prudent for him to remove himself from her presence, he stepped out to the edge of the platform and lifted swiftly into the air.

He did not know how long he soared through the inky sky on his cloud but it had done nothing to quell his fury. Realizing that he required a different method to release his anger, he turned around and headed back to the castle.

His destination was the servants' quarters. He would summon Katsuo and a few other warriors. It did not matter that it was very late into the night. His warriors would not refuse him.

Unlike the miko.

Just as he landed on near the dojo, his attention was drawn to the shadowed forms within. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed when he realized that the dojo was occupied by Akiyama and Shin. Blood pounded in Sesshoumaru's ears as Akiyama's presence reiterated the miko's refusal. Fury coursed through him as his frayed control slipped further and further away from his grasp. A growl escaped his lips. How… fortunate it was that Akiyama was still awake.

Akiyama would bear the brunt of his anger.

Without another thought, he launched himself forward and slid the shoji screen open.

"Shin. Leave," he instructed evenly, his eyes not leaving the elemental's puzzled face.

Stunned, the warrior nodded and then quickly obeyed.

Sesshoumaru saw the elemental's eyes widen when his clawed hand shot out. The sizzling poison from the tips sprayed out only to land ineffectively on the tatami mat because Akiyama had already melted into a mist.

"What is the meaning of this, Sesshoumaru?" Akiyama snarled as he reappeared some distance away.

Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat. Words were not sufficient to express his rage. Instead, he lashed out with his whip. Akiyama swung to the side, avoiding the hit.

"I will not fight you in your own territory, Sesshoumaru. At least not until I know what the hell is happening!"

"You will remove yourself from the Western Lands and never return," Sesshoumaru hissed.

"We've had this conversation before. I'm not staying indefinitely. I will leave once Kagome accepts me."

"Stay away from her unless you wish to be maimed."

Akiyama's eyes gleamed in comprehension. "So that's what all of this is about?" he gritted out. "I thought I was mistaken but apparently not. You are infatuated with the miko."

Sesshoumaru tensed. "Do not accuse this Sesshoumaru of such a thing. I hold no such feelings for the foolish miko."

"You want to court her, is that it?" the elemental ground out. In his rage, his blue eyes turned pale and icy. "Did she reject you?"

Sesshoumaru did not reply, but Akiyama's words pounded in his head. Taunting him, mocking him.

Akiyama snarled, "I am courting the miko, Sesshoumaru! You have no right to interfere!"

"She belongs here," Sesshoumaru growled as he shot up in the air, flinging his whip down at Akiyama.

Deflecting the attack with a blast of youki, the elemental issued a bark of mirthless laughter. "She belongs to no one. You can't seem to understand that, can you?"

Further infuriated by Akiyama's words, Sesshoumaru streaked forward. Not expecting it, Akiyama's eyes widened a fraction of a second before his fist connected with the elemental's jaw. The crack that tore through the air was intensely satisfying, even though the elemental only staggered slightly at the blow. Long-range attacks did not work but it appeared that close range attacks were more appropriate. Furthermore, it gratified him to feel the elemental's body breaking under his fist.

Sesshoumaru drew his fist back again only to double over when a hard punch connected with his midsection. In his rage, he had neglected to defend own body. Sucking in air as he straightened, Sesshoumaru swung his leg around, catching Akiyama's arm as the elemental blocked. The blow slid harmlessly down Akiyama's hard but slippery scales.

Not pausing, Akiyama threw another punch. Sesshoumaru ducked but the elemental seemed to have anticipated it and immediately countered with a punch from the other side. The taste of his own blood exploded in Sesshoumaru's mouth when Akiyama's fist connected with his cheek.

"This is for treating Kagome like some possession," the elemental hissed as he drew his fist back again.

"You dare speak of such a thing when you were the one who presented her as a _gift_?" Sesshoumaru spat, blocking the attack.

Then he charged forward, releasing a series of blows. The elemental blocked most of it but to Sesshoumaru's satisfaction, his fingers and claws were bloody when he drew it back. Rivulets of blood streaked down from the welts on his opponent's body, dripping down onto the dojo mat.

Completely disregarding his wounds, Akiyama launched himself upwards and then swooped down swiftly. "That's before I _knew _her. What's your excuse?" he snapped, extending his legs midair.

Sesshoumaru darted away, but only managed to avoid one of kicks before the next threw him down on the mat. His side throbbing from the impact, Sesshoumaru suppressed the pain. For a moment, he could not move. He was certain that a few of his ribs were broken. Dimly, he noticed that both of them were panting heavily, their youki swirling bright around the dojo.

Gritting his teeth, Sesshoumaru forced himself to his feet. Drawing his clawed hand back, he shot forward just as Akiyama streaked towards him. He caught one of the elemental's wrists with one hand while the other sank into Akiyama's shoulder, leaving a gaping hole.

All of a sudden, he felt a burning pain exploding in his left thigh. He immediately jumped backwards. Glancing down, he found that Akiyama had torn a gash in his flesh.

"WHAT THE FUCK! Are you two out of your minds?"

Sesshoumaru spun around at Inuyasha's voice. The hanyou was wearing an incredulous expression. Swiping the blood off his face with the back of his hands, Sesshoumaru turned to glare at Akiyama. This was not over. Akiyama would pay for the indignities inflicted on his person, physical or otherwise.

"Leave, Inuyasha. This is none of your concern," Sesshoumaru bit out.

Inuyasha stepped between them. "The hell it isn't! The two of you are brawling in here like uncivilized idiots. How do you think this looks like from outside? The warriors are freaking out, let alone the servants."

"Be quiet!" Sesshoumaru snarled. Inuyasha's words bit into him in the most unsettling manner. His words had the strangest effect of lifting the haze of fury which had surrounded him ever since the miko's rejection.

Unperturbed, Inuyasha grounded out harshly, "I'm not shutting up until I'm done. You, Akiyama, are a guest in this castle. What kind of manners is this? And the two of you seemed to have forgotten that you're supposed to be allies."

Realizing that Inuyasha had no intention of leaving and knowing that he could not bear to listen to anymore words from his half-brother's mouth, Sesshoumaru spun around and pushed past the tense hanyou to leave the dojo.

* * *

Kagome frowned as she felt a hand on her shoulders. Eyes still screwed tightly shut, she grumbled in protest when the hand shook her roughly. What was so important that someone had to wake her up now?

"Kagome?"

"Go away, Inuyasha," she muttered.

"Come on, Kagome. You need to get up."

"Too early."

"You need to heal Sesshoumaru and Akiyama."

Her eyes instantly shot open. Suddenly wide awake, she jerked up only to bash her head against something hard.

"Oww!" she exclaimed, rubbing her forehead as she blinked back tears of pain.

"Damn it! That hurts!" Inuyasha complained, clutching the side of his head.

"What are you doing in here?" she grumbled.

He stood up to walk towards the shoji. "Sesshoumaru and Akiyama need to be healed."

Scowling, she snapped, "What are you talking about? Sesshoumaru and Akiyama are injured? They were fine before I went to bed."

Inuyasha snorted. "I don't think they are as fine now. I don't know about Akiyama but Sesshoumaru will definitely heal. It's just faster if you do it."

"What happened?" she asked, standing up.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Inuyasha frowned. "I don't know. I was sleeping when Shin came to get me. It looked like a sparring session gone wrong."

"It can't be that bad, right, if Sesshoumaru was just sparring with Akiyama. They are allies," she said uncertainly. She could not help but feel a little worried.

"Just take a look at them, alright?"

Striding out of her room, she glanced at the hanyou beside her. "Where are they?"

"In their rooms."

Akiyama's was closer to hers. "I'll fix Akiyama first. It shouldn't take long," she decided.

Yawning, Inuyasha raised a hand to rub the back of his neck. "I'll leave you to it then."

Kagome nodded and then turned around to head towards Akiyama's room. Two of his youkai guards spun around to face her when she approached, their expression wary. The fact that there were guards outside Akiyama's room did not bode well. Maybe he was really hurt.

She paused before them, biting her lips uncertainly. "Can you let me through? Inuyasha told me that Akiyama's hurt," she said.

"He is not accepting visitors," one of them told her.

Those words confirmed to Kagome that this was no minor injury. Really worried now, she pressed, "Please, I just want to help him. I can heal him."

The guard shook his head. "He does not wish to be disturbed."

"I must see him!" she insisted firmly.

One of the guards directed a questioning look at the other. Then he turned back and said, "Wait here."

Kagome tried to peek in when the guard slid the shoji open, but before she could see anything, the guard slid it close behind him, leaving her standing awkwardly with the other guard. A brief moment later, the guard exited the room and nodded to her.

"You may enter."

Kagome released the breath she did not realize she was holding. "Thank you."

The guards stepped away from the shoji screen, allowing her passage. Cautiously, she walked into the room. Then Akiyama's form came into view and her eyes widened in horror. Rushing to his futon, she gasped at the deep claw wounds stretching from his shoulder down to his stomach. Not to mention the gaping hole in his shoulder.

"Kagome," he greeted as she landed on her knees beside him. Then his lips twisted wryly. "I really do not wish for you to see me like this. But my guard said you were persistent."

"Oh, Kami…" she breathed out. How could he bear the pain, she wondered, glancing up at his face. There were telltale signs of his agony, but if she did not know him as well as she did, she would not have noticed it.

Akiyama smiled, one which was blatantly forced. "Don't worry, Kagome. I've suffered through worse before."

She swallowed. Then she grew angry. "But this is serious, considering the two of you were just sparring. Why didn't Sesshoumaru hold back just a little?"

"Are you suggesting that I'm incapable of fighting Sesshoumaru?" he asked lightly but there was an underlying strain in his words.

Remembering that they were effectively rivals, Kagome quickly shook her head as she placed her hand over the gaping slashes. She had better not say anything more. Akiyama needed to be treated, not questioned. The questioning would come later, when he was feeling better.

"He's also wounded, Kagome. You may wish to tend to him as well." His tone was flat.

"I know. Inuyasha told me."

Akiyama looked as if he was about to say something but thought the better of it. Shrugging, she continued to tend to his wounds. Allowing her healing powers to surface, Kagome went from one would to another, holding back her own pain at the sight of his mangled flesh. One by one, his flesh knitted back together under the pearlescent glow of her healing.

She could not help but wonder if Sesshoumaru's wounds were just as severe. Was it normal for demon lords to spar this violently? For all she knew, this was nothing to them.

Still, she needed to see if Sesshoumaru was alright.

* * *

Leaning on the edge of the open shoji screen, Sesshoumaru stared unseeingly out into the courtyard. His entire body throbbed, a rare condition for him, but he ignored it. All he could think of was the events which had occurred within the last few hours.

How the miko had refused him.

How odd it was that he had loss control and allowed his rage to overtake his mind.

How unacceptable his actions had been, all because of one human miko.

How _satisfying_ it had felt.

His general had said nothing but Katsuo had posted himself in the hallway of his sleeping chambers. Outside, on the other end of the chamber, Shin was tucked discreetly behind a boulder next to the hotsprings. Sesshoumaru appreciated the gesture. It meant that he could rest fully without concerning himself of his safety. After all, Akiyama was still in the castle.

Still, he would be surprised if the elemental chose to attack in such a backhanded manner. He might dislike the Northern Lord, but Akiyama was not known to be dishonorable.

The sound of approaching footsteps drew him out of his contemplations. Then Sesshoumaru tensed when the miko's voice reached him from the hallway. The miko sounded concerned.

"What do you mean, no? I want to see him, Katsuo!"

"He's not… available right now, Kagome. Can't you wait until tomorrow?"

"No. I know he's hurt and I want to see him."

Sesshoumaru heard Katsuo sigh just before a tap sounded on the shoji screen. "My Lord? Kagome wishes to see you," his general announced unnecessarily.

He did not wish to be seen in this condition. However, the miko was not easily swayed once she set her mind on something. "Allow her," Sesshoumaru responded dully.

The shoji screen slid open to reveal the miko. Her presence instantly brought forth his fury in startling intensity.

There was a strange light in her eyes as she stared at him. Almost as if she was fearful of something. Was she afraid of him because he had harmed the Northern Lord? Perhaps he disgusted her. His lips thinned in derision. It mattered not. After this day, he would purge his mind of all his foolish thoughts of the miko. She was simply the mother of his pup and a healer.

Nothing else.

Forcing his expression to betray nothing, he gazed at her, his eyes landing on her blood-stained sleeping yukata. A revolting scent reached him. Akiyama, he surmised darkly. She had healed Akiyama first. Gritting his teeth, he forced his gaze upwards to her face, refusing to look at the evidence of the miko's choice.

She stepped fully into his sleeping chambers, sliding the screen shut behind her. Her voice was soft when she spoke. "Sesshoumaru?"

Her footsteps reached him, soft and cautious, until he felt her presence right behind him. Still, he kept his eyes fixed on the steaming air above the hotsprings, urging himself to remain calm.

"S-Sesshoumaru… You're hurt."

"Hn."

A terse silence filled the air before she spoke again. "Let me heal you."

Yes, she was a healer. Only then did the sting of the injuries inflicted by Akiyama returned fully. His cheek hurt and his side was throbbing. But it would heal. With his blood, these wounds would be healed by tomorrow night.

"It is unnecessary," he responded flatly.

She sucked in a sharp breath. "You can't go around like that. Your cheek is one big bruise and there's blood all over your kimono!" she exclaimed incredulously.

"They are minor wounds and will be healed by tomorrow."

"But I can heal it all right now!" the miko insisted.

"No."

Another heavy silence filled the air. A moment later, Sesshoumaru felt a soft touch on his shoulder. He immediately tensed.

Her voice was quiet when she spoke. "If this is because of what I said to you earlier, then… then I'm sorry."

He was disinclined to respond. What was she apologizing for? It no longer mattered to him. Offering to court her had been the result of a brief moment of weakness. A weakness he had no intention of repeating.

It was not necessary to discuss it.

He simply wished to forget it.

So he remained silent.

After a while, she left the room.

And for a long while afterwards, Sesshoumaru stood in the same position, staring out into nothing.

* * *

Sesshoumaru's hands tightened on the steering wheel as he glowered darkly. The memories surging through his mind was unsettling, and he almost wished that he and the miko had not forced them forth while she had been recuperating in Tsukuyo for the last few days.

The notion of losing control in such an abhorrent manner was discomfiting, even if it had occurred five hundred years ago. However, Sesshoumaru knew that if the same should happen again, it was likely that he would react in a similar manner. Anything to do with the miko seemed to push him to extremes. Even now, he could almost feel the rage coursing through his veins as if he was still fighting Akiyama.

He glanced to the side to find her staring silently out of the car window. It was obvious that she was just as disturbed with the memories as he was. Vaguely, he wondered if she would be influenced by the decision made by her younger self. Would she arrive at the same conclusion in this present time? Would she refuse him once again?

Instantly, he berated himself for his thoughts. The past was the past. He was no longer the same demon and she was no longer the same miko. Both of them had changed over time.

He simply needed to steer her towards the correct choice. That should not be too difficult as she would be staying under the same roof, albeit with her family. Her family had agreed to the plan and he had instructed Jaken and Rin to arrange for the Higurashis to be moved this morning to his mansion. In the meantime, the shrine would be tended by a few of his hanyou employees.

Once the miko was safely ensconced in his home, he would tear down Japan to seek retribution to this crime. Naraku had gone too far. NO ONE threatened his family.

His suspicions about Menomaru had been confirmed only yesterday. Naraku had indeed been hiding under Menomaru's protection in China. Niu Mo Wang, the Chinese bull demon lord had interceded on his behalf, forcing Menomaru to withdraw his support from Naraku and hence forcing the hanyou to return to Japan. That very action had negated the need for him to go to China to resolve the matter.

The entrance gate to his mansion swung open as soon as they approached. Sesshoumaru directed his car past the gate into the driveway.

"Do you think my family is here already?" the miko asked.

"I've instructed Rin to assist them in the move this morning," Sesshoumaru replied as he parked the car and exited.

Getting out of the car to join him in the short walk up to the mansion, she continued, "It'll be nice to get to know Rin better."

A frisson of unease skated down Sesshoumaru's spine when he was presented with an image of the miko and Rin arguing with him. Perhaps it would be wiser to ensure that they remained apart. Handling both of them at the same time should they decide to oppose him would be rather unpleasant.

Before he could reach out to open the door, it swung open to reveal Jaken. His retainer's expression of combined panic and fear instantly set of the alarms in Sesshoumaru's head. But then again, Jaken was prone to overreacting.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" the demon croaked.

"Is something the matter, Jaken?" he asked calmly. "Are the Higurashis settled?"

Jaken gulped and then nodded slowly. "Y-Yes… They have returned to the shrine to collect more of their belongings. Rin, Shin and Sachimaru are with them."

"Hn."

His retainer's behavior was odder than usual. Deciding that Jaken was simply unused to the presence of so many humans, Sesshoumaru dismissed his concerns and strode in through the door. With the miko following close behind, Sesshoumaru made his way to the living room.

Then he froze.

His eyes widened in disbelief at the view which greeted him. There were countless shrine scrolls and other artifacts mounted on his walls, some which looked as if they might be alive once upon a time, shriveled as they were.

Slowly, he turned towards a shaking Jaken. "What is the meaning of this?" he ground out.

A hand landed on his back. "Uh…Sesshoumaru?"

He turned around to find the miko giving him a sheepish smile. Waving his arm once around the room, he said stonily, "This is unacceptable."

"Remember that I told you it's not a good idea to let them bring whatever they want?"

His lips thinned. At that time, he had not considered the possibility of his home being mutilated and defiled by random, useless objects.

"It's not that bad. Really," the miko insisted. "You will get used to it. Anyway, it's only temporary, right?"

His eyes narrowed. He did not wish to familiarize himself with such… nonsense. And he had no intention of allowing the miko's presence to be temporary, however much she appeared to be thinking otherwise.

Immediately, he recalled his vow to allow the miko to decide for herself. It could not be helped, then. He would speak to her today of his intentions. A frisson of apprehension skated up his spine and his entire body tensed at the memory of her rejection five hundred years ago. He could not help but wonder again if she would she reject him.

Then he felt the miko's arm circling his own. Instantly, the tension in him evaporated.

"I think some tea might be a good idea, don't you think, Jaken?" she said cheerfully, completely unaware of the turbulence within him.

Jaken quickly nodded. "Where does My Lady wish to take her tea?"

She glanced up at him questioningly.

"The study," Sesshoumaru finally said. That was one place where no one was allowed entry. It was entirely possible that the study had not been _redecorated_.

* * *

Shifting on the couch to make room for Sesshoumaru, Kagome patted on the space beside her. "Sit here," she invited just as a maid came in bearing a tray of tea.

Sesshoumaru waited until the tea was served and they were alone before he sat down close beside her. His eyes flickered with an unnamed emotion as he gazed at her. "We should continue to bring forth the memories, as unpleasant as some might be."

Kagome sighed, knowing fully well that he was talking about her answer to his proposal. "I guess."

"What else do you remember?"

Kagome frowned, trying to piece the fragmented images together. "I think this was about a few months after Sachimaru's birthday. I was calling out for you," she said absently as the image of Sesshoumaru resolutely walking away from her became clearer and clearer. "But you were ignoring me. You kept on walking and I ran after you."

Sesshoumaru frowned. "Why were you following me?"

"One of your scouts came to tell you something about demon slayers launching attacks in the Western Lands. I was worried after the last few incidents with the demon slayers, so I wanted to come along," Kagome explained uneasily, averting her gaze. She had wanted to go to make sure that Sesshoumaru did not kill any of the demon slayers.

"The incident is familiar. I recall Inuyasha being absent because he was traveling, seeking for a way to strengthen Tetsusaiga." A paused followed, and then he continued, "I did not wish for you to come."

"Why?"

His eyes flickered.

Growing suspicious of his silence, Kagome pressed on, "Why? Come on, Sesshoumaru. You know that for this to work, we got to talk openly."

His reluctance was clearly displayed in his tone when he said, "I was… displeased."

"Because of the attacks from the demon slayers?"

"That is part of the reason."

Letting out a sigh of exasperation, she said, "So what is the other reason?"

He looked away from her, the muscle in his jaw ticking. His voice was grudging when he bit out, "I was angry that you refused me."

She blinked. Then comprehension dawned and she flushed uncomfortably. "Oh. The courting." Then her eyes widened when she remembered the extraordinary number of wounds and bruises both demon lords had sported. "That night… You and Akiyama were not really sparring, were you?"

Sesshoumaru stiffened visibly.

His reaction was enough to tell her what she wanted to know. "You fought Akiyama because of that?" she asked weakly.

"Hn."

Her stomach roiled when a sudden thought occurred to her. "Were you angry because I damaged your pride?"

A pause followed before he replied quietly, "No. It was not a simple matter of pride."

Although he left the rest unspoken, Kagome understood what he meant. Feeling acutely uncomfortable now, she closed her eyes. Had she done the wrong thing by rejecting him at that time? But she had been so confused about her feelings and Sesshoumaru's reticence in displaying any emotion had not helped. If she had known that he would be so angry, she might have understood his motives better. She would have understood that he was not doing it just because it was his duty and that contrary to what he showed outwardly, he actually felt something for her.

When a comforting warmth enveloped her hands, her eyes flew open to see his larger fingers curling around hers. Feeling rather guilty for misjudging the situation five hundred years ago, she sighed.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru. I didn't know. I thought you were doing it because it was your duty, because honor demands it."

He raised a brow. "There must be other reasons. Honor itself is not worth all the disruption a mate would cause." His tone was flat.

She pulled one hand free to prod him in the chest with one finger. "Are you saying that mates are troublesome?"

His eyes flickered. Then he reached out to touch her cheek, sending a jolt of something shooting to her toes. "Yes. However, there is something I wish you to consider."

She blinked up at him, waiting for him to continue.

"It would please me if you took the time to consider mating with me." His lips twisted slightly. "Once again."

Her mouth went dry. This, she did not expect. "I… uhm…"

"No. Not now," he interjected quietly. "Think about it first."

This entire thing sounded uncomfortably familiar.

Was it really?

No.

This was different because he was different, and_ she_ was different. And he was asking to mate her, not court her. Not to mention that this time, she _knew_ that she was in love with him. But what about him? Kagome bit her lips uncertainly as she searched his face, but it was as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Leave the past behind, Kagome," he said softly.

Her eyes widened at his use of her name. Then his words sank in. He was right. The past was the past. Dwelling on it would not change anything. What was important was for her to look towards the future.

She took a deep breath and nodded.

* * *

A/N: So, that's it for now. Hope you liked it and please drop me a review if you can. Thanks! 


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Sachimaru, Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu, Moriko and Eiko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: As always, I thank you for reading and reviewing this story. Yes, I know I'm a couple of days late on this chapter. Believe me, I TRIED to get it out on time, and then I realized what was the problem – the chapter was too long for me to finish in a week, lol. So, since the next chapter is the final chapter of the story and probably even longer, I have to tell you that it will probably take me up to 2 weeks to finish it. And for those who wanted to know about 'A Mere Digression', no, I haven't abandoned it – It will be continued once 'A Little Faith' is complete.

Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you will like it.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 22**

She had nodded.

Sesshoumaru frowned unseeingly at the piece of typed paper on his desk as he mulled over the miko's 'answer'. It pleased him that she had agreed to consider his proposal. However, there was an incessant nudge at the back of his mind which suggested that he had neglected to take into account something important.

What could it be?

His frown deepened when he realized that he had approached his latest proposal no differently from the first one. And now, with five hundred years of additional experience, three hundred of those years being spent relatively close to humans, he could not help but wonder if he had said enough to her. Would he be repeating his past self's mistakes? Would the miko reject him again? Humans of the modern days generally married for love. Such a concept was unfamiliar to him.

Perhaps it was simply the word which was unfamiliar to him.

He was attracted to the miko and he knew that he cared deeply for her. Her presence certainly pleased him. It was odd, considering that her outspoken manner and her complete disregard for his words had infuriated him on many occasions. He should rightly be disinclined towards her. Instead, it was almost as if he was addicted to her presence.

He simply wanted her.

He wanted the infuriating miko who defied him countless times in the past and present.

He wanted Kagome, the woman who did not know when to hold her tongue.

He wanted the mother of his pup.

He wanted all of her.

Could this be what humans described as love?

Did he love her?

Perhaps he did.

Irritated that he could not dispel the edginess within him, he stood up abruptly and went to the large window behind his desk to stare out. Droplets of rain decorated the windowpane in front of him, but it did not distract Sesshoumaru's attention from the view of the pavement far below his top floor office. His lips twisted in disgust.

"Pitiful," Sesshoumaru hissed as his eyes followed the group of twenty-something year olds strolling down the street.

Their action in itself was nothing to be concerned about. However, their appearance was another matter. Dressed in traditional samurai garb which looked completely out of place in modern Tokyo, the humans' features sported fake demonic markings.

The sight sickened Sesshoumaru. How dare they mock his species in such a manner?

The door to his office opened, but knowing who his visitor was, he did not move from the window.

"What's pitiful?" Inuyasha asked, coming up beside him.

Sesshoumaru simply inclined his head towards the pavement.

"This is weird," Inuyasha muttered as he looked down. "Looks like the humans are split as well."

"Indeed." It never ceased to baffle him that there were quite a large number of humans who seemed to be on their side. Some did not even have any affiliation with demons. Still, the general disharmony of the situation disturbed him.

"It's all so messed up with humans pretending to be demons now. Damn that idiot Naraku and his plots. What the hell is wrong with him?"

"The hanyou desires to rule the world," Sesshoumaru said dryly.

However, now that Menomaru had withdrawn his support, they had been able to destroy a large number of Naraku's underlings. It was a matter of time before he was found. For now, the hanyou was hiding in fear. They had gotten very close this morning. So close that Sesshoumaru could almost feel Naraku's tainted blood washing over his claws.

"Did you hear about that thing yesterday? About Hakudoshi and a few others?"

Sesshoumaru grimaced, instantly realizing what Inuyasha was referring to. Few of the independent demons, such as Hakudoshi, had taken Naraku's stance. Armed with the notion that they were the superior race, Hakudoshi and others had begun terrorizing the human population. The excuse they were hiding behind was that the humans had captured their fellow demons. Sesshoumaru could only surmise that they meant those which had been detained when their concealment had slipped weeks ago. Ever since then, the news had been filled with nothing but incident after incident of demons fighting against humans.

"Hakudoshi will cease his foolishness when Naraku is destroyed."

Inuyasha nodded. "If Kagura breaks, then we'll find him. Shin managed to get something out of her this morning."

Sesshoumaru turned to his brother sharply. "Naraku's location?"

Shaking his head, Inuyasha said, "Not yet, but she would give it up on one condition."

He waited for Inuyasha to elaborate.

"She wants her heart back. Told Shin that if we give her our word to retrieve her heart from Naraku, then she'll tell us where he is."

As Sesshoumaru considered what Inuyasha had just said, he turned away from the window to return to his desk. Kagura's request was not unreasonable. In fact, it surprised him, considering that they could simply obtain the information on Naraku's location and then decide not to bring Kagura her heart. It seemed that the wind sorceress believed that they would honor their words.

The other possible option was that they were being deceived. Kagura could be leading them into an ambush with this information. He was not concerned if this was the case for they were certainly strong enough to cope with an ambush. Furthermore, such a thing would only bring them one step closer to their target.

"Agree to it," Sesshoumaru decided.

Raising his brow, Inuyasha asked incredulously, "You trust her? This could be a trap."

"Are you afraid, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou immediately sputtered indignantly. "What? Who said I'm scared?"

"Then such a minor thing should not concern you," Sesshoumaru pointed out blandly. "Unless all these decades of leisure had made you soft."

"Keh! I just don't trust that female. I'm not scared!" Inuyasha declared heatedly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fine. I'll do down and tell her."

"Hn."

* * *

Kagome was seated on the small couch at the corner of Sachimaru's room, a book lying forgotten on her lap as she pondered once again upon Sesshoumaru's words.

A heavy sigh escaped her. There was really nothing to consider, seeing how she felt about him. Sure she had rejected him in the past, but that was different. She knew this time that he cared for her, even though he still struggled to show it. Her lips twisted in amusement as Sesshoumaru's stoic features came to mind. No, she should not expect mushy declaration of love from him. And she loved him enough to accept that he would never be the type to shower her with flowery phrases of adoration. Just as well, she supposed, because otherwise he would not be Sesshoumaru.

Still, now that her mind was made up, she needed to do one last thing.

She turned to her son, who was seated at the desk in his room, a small frown adorning his forehead as he perused the book in front of him. Sesshoumaru had wasted no time in procuring a tutor for Sachimaru, Kagome noted wryly. But this time, she did not protest.

"Sachimaru?"

He glanced up at her curiously.

She stood up and made her way to his desk. Kneeling so that their eyes were level, she inhaled slowly before she ventured, "How would you feel if I told you that I'm going to mate someone?"

"Mate?"

"As in…" she struggled a little before she finally continued, "As in having a husband."

She blinked when Sachimaru frowned. "You mean Chichi-ue?" he asked.

Yes, her son had been calling Sesshoumaru that all this time. Perhaps he did not understand what she meant. "Your Chichi-ue and I are not mated, but would you like it if we are?" she asked.

Sachimaru shrugged. "It's the same, right? We will still be together. You're still my Okaa-san and he is still my Chichi-ue." With that, he turned back to his book, obviously uninterested in the topic.

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She took it to mean that as far as Sachimaru was concerned, so long as they were together, he did not care either way.

Well, all that was left for her to do was to tell Sesshoumaru then. She wondered if he would be surprised. After all, he had only asked her a couple of days ago. The last time he had asked, it took her _weeks_ to come to a decision. But then again, at that time, that particular decision had been a difficult one.

As if on cue, the sound of crunching gravel filtered through the window, alerting her to Sesshoumaru's return. It was time to tell him, she decided resolutely. Straightening up, she ruffled Sachimaru's hair.

"Stay here and behave, alright. I need to tell your father something."

Still immersed in the book, Sachimaru simply nodded absently.

Kagome walked out of Sachimaru's room and descended the stairs. Sesshoumaru should be in his study. That was the first place he normally went when he returned home. It was as if he wanted to check that the room had remained untouched in his absence, she thought with amusement.

When she approached that section of the house, her steps slowed at the terse words reaching her ears.

"This is unacceptable."

"Hah! You can't remove it."

It was Sesshoumaru and Jii-chan.

Anxious now, she quickened her steps until she closed in on them. As she peeked around the corner, she blinked at the scene which greeted her. At the end of the corridor next to the study, Sesshoumaru and Jii-chan appeared to be having a staring contest, one which was oddly unbalanced considering their relative heights. With his senses, Sesshoumaru should know that she was there, but whatever it was that the two of them were discussing, it was obviously more important than her.

Sesshoumaru swept his hand over his ofuda-decorated wall. "You will remove this," he intoned imperiously.

Kagome's eyes widened. So, Jii-chan had expanded his attack zone to Sesshoumaru's study.

"I won't let you near Kagome until every inch of the demon is purged from your body," Jii-chan declared stubbornly, his moustache twitching. Then her grandfather raised a fistful of ofudas, shaking them in front of Sesshoumaru's face as he bellowed, "Now BEGONE, demon! Or else I will unleash my full power as a priest on you!"

Even from that distance, Kagome could see Sesshoumaru's jaw ticking. Both of them were strong-headed and stubborn, and clashes were inevitable. She should really do something before this escalated further, but a morbid curiosity grounded her. She wanted to see how this played out.

"Do not make foolish threats, old man," Sesshoumaru bit out.

Jii-chan's eyes bulged. "Who are you calling an old man? I'm in my prime, you impudent boy."

"Boy?" Sesshoumaru hissed disbelievingly. "Perhaps it had escaped your notice that I am, in fact several centuries older than you are."

"And you dare to call me old? What does that make you then, demon?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed.

Oh, Kami…this could turn ugly, Kagome decided. Stepping around the corner, she jogged towards the two of them. "Sesshoumaru! Jii-chan!" she called out cheerfully.

Neither of them acknowledged her presence, even when she halted right beside them. She grimaced inwardly. Maybe she should just pry one of them away. She laid a hand on Sesshoumaru's tense arm, staring up at him. The tightness of his lips told her that he was beginning to run out of patience with her grandfather. At that very moment, she was reminded again that he was doing all this for her. As difficult as it was for him, he was putting up with her cranky grandfather because he wanted her. And if she was not already in love with him, this would certainly convince her.

"Sesshoumaru? I need to talk to you."

The taiyoukai finally dragged his eyes away from her grandfather. His eyes flickered briefly as he studied her wordlessly. For a moment, Kagome almost panicked at that look. Could he be reconsidering his proposal? Was this all really too much for him after all?

Her grandfather had a lot to answer for if that was the case, she thought irritably as she turned to glare at the old man.

Jii-chan immediately bristled. "What?"

Kagome closed her eyes and prayed for patience. "Jii-chan…" she said slowly. "This is Sesshoumaru's house. You can't go around sticking things on his walls."

"Hmph!" With that one indignant exclamation, her grandfather spun around and walked away.

Kagome shook her head slowly as she watched her grandfather's departing back. She wondered if he would ever accept Sesshoumaru. Especially now that she had decided to mate him. Which reminded her. Yes, she needed to tell Sesshoumaru. Wondering how to broach the subject, Kagome looked up at the taiyoukai. His eyes were fixed to the yellow ofudas dotting the wall and the door to his study, his expression awash with disapproval.

"Um… Sesshoumaru?"

He blinked before turning to her. "We will speak inside," he said stiffly, pushing the door open.

As she followed him in, she was relieved to find that Jii-chan had not had the chance to do anything to the inside of the study. Maybe they should install some kind of lock to keep the old man out, she mused, sitting on the edge of his desk. Her eyes traveled over Sesshoumaru's still-strained features as he dropped his briefcase to one side.

Then their eyes met. She watched with surprise as the tension seeped out of his features. Then a strange light came into his eyes.

She took a deep breath. "I've made my decision. I-" she paused when he took her hands in his.

"I wish to say something first. Something had occurred to me recently…"

A frisson of unease ran up her spine. Had he really changed his mind? She swallowed hard, trying to push down her anxiety. It couldn't be that, right?

"And I've come to the conclusion that…" he paused, suddenly looking rather discomfited. Then his expression turned resolute. "I've come to the conclusion that it is possible such a thing called love is what I feel for you."

It took her a while to unravel his convoluted words. Then when it sank in, she sucked in a sharp breath, stunned by his admission. For a moment, she just could not speak. This was the last thing that she had expected him to say.

"Kagome?" He sounded uncharacteristically uncertain.

She finally found her voice. Quickly, she said, "I'm glad you told me. I…" She paused, blushing before she continued in a softer voice, "I feel the same."

His lips quirked as a smug expression came over his features. "That is not unexpected."

Her jaw fell, her blush instantly dissipating. As unlikely and unexpected as it was, this was a romantic moment. And Sesshoumaru had to go say something like that. "Hey! That's not what you're supposed to say at a moment like this!" she exclaimed incredulously.

The quirk on his lips morphed into a smirk. "Perhaps you should tell me what I'm supposed to say."

She sputtered. Was Sesshoumaru _teasing_ her? The idea was so foreign, so unexpected that she did not know how to respond. She blinked once, twice.

Then she snorted and crossed her arms over his chest, giving him a stony look. "Well, then I guess you should know my answer to your proposal," she said flatly.

Instantly, his smirk disappeared. For a moment, she saw a hint of anxiety in his eyes before he recomposed his features into utter calm. Releasing her hands to move up to her shoulders, he studied her silently.

"Um… Sesshoumaru?"

"It is your decision, Kagome. I will accept whatever you decide."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Somehow, I don't think I believe that," she declared flatly.

He raised an eyebrow. "You doubt my words?"

"No. I believe that you'll find another way. You don't give up easily."

His expression was bland, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. "You know me well, then."

"It's just as well that I'm agreeing to mate with you. I-"

Her words were cut short as Sesshoumaru slammed her into his chest, taking her breath away. Smiling, she reached her arms around him, hugging him to her. His warmth seeped into her, comforting her.

For a long while, they remained in that position.

Then Sesshoumaru pulled away slightly. To her surprise, there was a look of obvious displeasure on his features.

"What about Akiyama?"

So, that was what he was worried about. "I told him already."

"When?"

"Right after the thing with Naraku, when he came to visit me in this hospital."

"You rejected him even before my proposal?" He sounded surprised.

She raised a brow. "So?"

His head dipped down, and Kagome felt her lips being captured in a heated kiss. Reflexively, her arms went around him holding him tighter to her even as his descending head forced her to arch backwards. Molten rush of pleasure coursed through her veins, taking her breath away.

Then she felt sharp tips scraping her neck and she froze.

"Wait!"

He pulled back, looking displeased and a little confused.

Her lips twitched. Biting back a grin, she said, "I think we should wait."

"Wait?"

"You know, the last time we mated, it was all very strange and forced." She glanced down at her hands, suddenly feeling shy. "I want to do it properly this time."

"Properly?" he echoed, obviously confused.

She nodded. "Like having an engagement period and all." As an incredulous look lodged onto his features, Kagome quickly held her hands up. "Okay, maybe not a long one. I just want to…" she sighed, not knowing how to continue.

A moment of silence passed before he spoke, his tone grudging. "Very well."

Her eyes snapped up. Then a large smile grew on her lips.

* * *

Sesshoumaru had sensed the miniature threat sneaking stealthily behind him long while ago, but he pretended not to notice. It was a game he knew well, he thought with amusement, considering that Sachimaru had been _hunting_ him ever since the pup learnt how to run and hide centuries ago.

Knowing that this was more than a mere game, but a lesson that would teach Sachimaru the skills he needed as an adult, Sesshoumaru did not discourage the pup. And as far as he could tell from their previous sessions, Sachimaru would make a fearsome predator in the future.

Displaying no outward indication that he knew what was coming, Sesshoumaru simply continued to walk down the hallway until he reached the living room. A telling movement behind informed him that Sachimaru was about to spring. Sesshoumaru instantly streaked away, placing himself out of range. He turned around just in time to see Sachimaru landing some distance away, a malcontented expression fixed upon his features.

"Chichi-ue," Sachimaru whined.

Stepping closer, Sesshoumaru forced himself not to smile at the pup's displeasure. He bent down so that they were level. "You will attempt to regulate your breathing in the future," he advised, even though he knew that this particular lesson would be difficult for someone as young as Sachimaru.

Sachimaru blinked up at him. "Regulate my breathing? But I'm breathing normally."

"Hn. It was your breathing that gave you away this time. It is necessary for you to blend in with the surroundings such that your target would not sense your presence."

A frown crossed the pup's brow. "How?"

"That is something you need to discover on your own as you practice more," Sesshoumaru said as he straightened. "At the moment, you need to hone your offensive powers. Would you like to begin?"

Sachimaru nodded enthusiastically.

Leading him a large room at the back of the house which had been converted into a dojo, Sesshoumaru explained, "It is important that you explore your strength and weaknesses at an early age. That way, you can seek to improve your weaknesses."

The pup gave him a doubtful look, looking somewhat disgruntled. "I have weaknesses?"

Sesshoumaru's lips twitched. "Yes."

"Do you have weaknesses, Chichi-ue?" the curious pup asked.

Sesshoumaru's steps slowed. Did he? He had thought that he did not, until the image of a certain miko flashed across his mind. Was Kagome his weakness? Or was Kagome his strength?

"Chichi-ue?" Sachimaru prompted.

"Perhaps," he replied vaguely as he stepped into the dojo. Deciding that he should discourage more questions, he pointed to a spot on the tatami mat. "Stand there."

Obediently, Sachimaru followed his instruction and then waited expectantly.

Settling himself into position, Sesshoumaru said, "Attack me."

Sachimaru's eyes widened. "But-"

"Sachimaru…" he rebuked sternly. "Hold your hand up and draw forth your energy to your fingers."

Gulping visibly, Sachimaru looked down at his palm.

Then to Sesshoumaru's amazement, a brilliant mix of gold and pearl appeared around his pup's hands. He had not expected Sachimaru to be capable of this degree of power just yet. Sesshoumaru watched intently as the glow expanded swiftly around his pup's hands.

Just as he thought to warn Sachimaru, the pup's powers exploded outwards, throwing him onto his rear. Obviously chagrined, Sachimaru simply stared down at the blackened tatami mat. Waves of disappointment emanated from him. Sesshoumaru suppressed a smile as he strode towards his pup. This reminded him oddly of his training sessions with the miko. Like his mother, Sachimaru appeared to have difficulties controlling his powers effectively.

Picking up the pup so that they were eye to eye, Sesshoumaru declared firmly, "You will learn how to control your powers in time."

Sachimaru blinked, and then he piped up cheerfully, "I can use it to help Okaa-san next time. I can protect her."

"You will protect your family and your clan. However, you must never allow yourself to be taken advantage of," Sesshoumaru told him, wondering if he should also inform the pup that his cheerful exuberance did not fit the profile of a proper warrior. Then realizing how the pup's antics amused him, he decided that it was probably best to let Sachimaru be.

Sachimaru frowned. "But why would someone take advantage?"

"Because they wish to have more than they deserve."

Sachimaru's youki flared as he bristled indignantly. "You mean they will want to hurt us because they want to take things from us?"

"Hn."

The strength of his son's youki's astonished him. Perhaps pup's emotion was responsible for the erratic manifestation of powers. It did appear as if his powers were less manageable when he was excited. Considering the nature of the miko's powers, it made sense.

Settling the pup back down on the mat, Sesshoumaru nodded to the stationary target at the end of the dojo. "Calm yourself. Clear your mind and focus your powers into your weapon."

Nodding emphatically, Sachimaru picked up a nearby bokken. After a few sputters, the bokken glowed yellow, with strands of pearlescent tint. "Got it," Sachimaru declared excitably.

"Calm yourself."

Sachimaru took a deep breath.

"Now, aim and do not let your eyes leave the target."

Sesshoumaru watched with pride at his pup's attack met its target.

"You've done well," he declared, placing his hand on his pup's head in approval.

Sachimaru beamed up at him, his eyes shining with happiness. A warm glow washed over Sesshoumaru. It was then that his cellphone rang, interrupting his session with his pup. Irked, he pulled out the offending article to find a familiar number flashing on the display.

Kagura had given them the information they required, but it was not specific. At the moment, they have a large number of addresses, each being places which Naraku kept as hideouts. This necessitated the involvement of the rest of the lords, Akiyama especially since his territory was vast.

"Akiyama," Sesshoumaru greeted.

"I'm in my usual place in Tokyo."

"I'll be there."

Ending the call, Sesshoumaru turned to his son. "You may continue to practice. I have something to attend to." Unfortunately, he added to himself.

Sachimaru's face sank. "Will you be back soon? Okaa-san told me there is a party tonight."

The engagement party that she insisted on having, Sesshoumaru realized belatedly. Although he did not understand the necessity in this frivolity, he had allowed it, seeing that this was a normal human custom. Yes, his future mate would be displeased if he failed to make an appearance.

Still, the meeting with Akiyama was urgent and could not be avoided.

"Chichi-ue?"

"Tell your Okaa-san that I will return in time for it."

The pup nodded.

Swiftly, he made his way to the hotel where Akiyama was staying. At times like this, his energy orb was most convenient, he thought as he landed on the hotel roof. He descended the stair until he arrived at Akiyama's suite.

The door immediately opened to reveal the elemental, dressed in his customary black attire. Inclining his head in greeting, Akiyama stepped back to allow him into the suite. It was only when they were seated opposite each other that the other demon spoke.

"So, I've come, just as you've asked."

"I require your… assistance," Sesshoumaru said, unable to hold back his reluctance in requesting aid from the elemental.

Akiyama eyed him assessing for a moment before he said carefully, "I would be pleased to help if I can."

"It is to do with Naraku."

The elemental's features instantly hardened. "You found him?"

"The wind sorceress had given us a number of locations for Naraku's hideout. She is not certain which one he would be using, therefore to cover the bases, we would have to ambush the different locations all at once."

Akiyama arched a brow. "I'm surprised she gave in."

"We traded."

"Ah, I see. And the nature of the trade?"

"Her heart."

"Her heart?" Akiyama echoed curiously.

"We are to retrieve her heart during the ambush."

"You don't find it curious that Naraku is holding such an important part of her?"

"It does not interest me."

Akiyama shook his head as he chuckled. "Well, I suppose I shouldn't expect any different."

"Hn."

They continued to discuss the situation, planning an efficient attack strategy. It was not simple, for Naraku was very evasive. But before they could arrive at a decision, Sesshoumaru's cellphone suddenly rang.

"Oi! Where are you? It's almost time."

Frowning, Sesshoumaru glanced down at his watch only to find that the dinner party would begin in about fifteen minutes.

"Kagome is going to give you hell if you're late for this," Inuyasha pointed out.

"I will not be late."

"Keh! You better make sure of that."

Hanging up on Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru turned towards the other demon lord. Akiyama was looking out of the window, appearing to be deep in thought. Vaguely, Sesshoumaru wondered what the elemental was thinking.

Their meeting was far from over. There were still issues they needed to discuss, such as the coordination of the attack. The sensible thing would be to simply invite Akiyama along so that they could continue their discussion. Still, their past rivalry over Kagome unsettled him. Surely now that the miko had chosen, he should no longer be concerned about the elemental in this regard.

Akiyama had not brought up the subject of Kagome even once during the meeting but was there a possibility that the other demon was still pining over the miko? Perhaps he should reiterate the fact, Sesshoumaru thought. He should make the elemental see that Kagome belonged only with one demon.

"I have to cut this short. There is a… dinner I need to attend."

Akiyama turned around. "With Kagome, I take it?"

"Hn."

"You should not keep her waiting then. But we need to finish this. So perhaps you would like to return after your dinner?" Akiyama suggested levelly.

If he was not observing so intently, Sesshoumaru would have missed the brief flash of hurt in Akiyama's eyes. It was then that Sesshoumaru realized he could not bring himself to revel in his success in front of the other demon. After all, he knew how it felt to be rejected by the miko and the experience was far from pleasant. The fact that Akiyama was at least outwardly calm about it spoke much of his self-control.

The notion of Akiyama brooding over the miko's rejection while he was surrounded by friends and family disturbed him somewhat. Was he actually feeling compassionate towards the elemental? Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed in distaste.

The option of inviting Akiyama to the dinner presented itself once again.

How would Akiyama view such an invitation? Did it matter? After all, Akiyama was his closest ally, regardless of their constant rivalry. The elemental would see him and Kagome together often once they were mated. It could not be helped. Perhaps the more Akiyama was exposed to them, the easier it would be for him to move on.

Sesshoumaru made up his mind. "Do you wish to join us?"

Akiyama's lips curled bitterly. "There is no need to twist the knife, Sesshoumaru."

"That was not my intention. Others will be there as well. It is a gathering of family and… friends."

"Family and friends? Are you certain that you wish to invite me?" the elemental asked guardedly.

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. Even though it was probably true, he would never admit out loud that Akiyama could be considered his _friend. _In a stony voice, he said, "Perhaps it is you who does not wish to join us."

"And why would I do that?"

Sesshoumaru watched the other demon carefully as he said, "We would be announcing our engagement tonight. It is only polite to invite my long-time ally."

Akiyama studied him silently. Then, after a long moment, a small smile crossed his lips. "In that case, it would be impolite if I refused."

"Hn."

* * *

He was late, Kagome glowered as she stomped down the stairs. Well, maybe he was not really late since the party had not started yet. Still, he could have tried to come home earlier considering that this was effectively their engagement party.

Sachimaru rushed past her, making a beeline for the living room. Following her son, Kagome went to the living room. Then she stopped in her tracks when her eyes landed on a familiar form who was kneeling down, talking to her son.

"Akiyama," she gasped as the elemental straightened.

"There you are, Kagome," her mother exclaimed, beaming. "I was just talking to one of Sesshoumaru's friends. But now that you're here, I'd better get back to the kitchen to see if anyone needs help. Come, Sachimaru."

Kagome was so surprised at Akiyama's presence that she barely saw her mother and her son leave. For obvious reasons, she had not invited him, which meant that Sesshoumaru had done so. Why did Sesshoumaru do such a thing knowing what she planned tonight?

"I gather Sesshoumaru did not tell you I was coming?" Akiyama asked, smiling.

She made a face. "How did you guess?"

"It is not his fault. Our meeting had not concluded yet, therefore he had kindly allowed me to join you for dinner."

Kagome snorted. Kindly? Sesshoumaru was never _kindly_ towards Akiyama. If she had to guess, she would say that Sesshoumaru had an ulterior motive. They had decided to drop the news of their engagement to everyone during dinner tonight. And she knew that such a thing would hit Akiyama the hardest. Considering their constant rivalry, maybe Sesshoumaru wanted to gloat about his success in front of Akiyama. Perhaps she should tell Akiyama about their engagement first, then at least it would not be too much of a shock for him.

But before she could say anything, the elemental exclaimed softly, "Where are my manners?" Bowing slightly before he straightened, he continued, "May I congratulate you on your engagement?"

Kagome's jaw dropped. "You know?"

He nodded. "Sesshoumaru told me earlier." His lips twisted in amusement. "I believe that he was attempting to warn me that it might be somewhat an unsettling event for me."

She did not know what to say to that. "Uh… You don't mind coming here?"

"Are we not still friends, Kagome?"

"Of course," she quickly said, flushing in embarrassment.

"That's good to know," Akiyama said quietly.

At that very moment, Sesshoumaru stepped into the room. Instantly a strange tension filled the air. To her surprise, Sesshoumaru simply nodded to Akiyama.

"You may wish to join Inuyasha and Katsuo in the dining hall," the taiyoukai said. "Perhaps your presence would force them to be civil to each other."

Akiyama laughed, amused. "Surely you do not believe that such a thing would work."

"You might succeed while others have failed."

"In that case, I shall endeavor to do so."

Then Akiyama left the living room, leaving her alone with Sesshoumaru. Stunned by what she had just seen and heard, Kagome blinked. There was a surprising lack of animosity between them for the first time. But before she could contemplate it further, the doorbell rang.

"Oh, that might be Shiori," she exclaimed, excited.

"It is Moriko," Sesshoumaru said flatly as he turned towards her. "Did you invite the entire Tsukuyo Medical?"

Kagome grinned sheepishly. "No. Just Moriko, Shiori and Souten. But Souten couldn't make it."

He gave her a contemplative look. "I understand that you're close to Moriko. However, I am of the impression that Shiori and Souten are merely your colleagues."

Kagome grinned. "You'll see. I have my reasons for it."

The look he gave her was full of misgiving, but she simply ignored it.

Soon, the guests arrived and they all gathered around the long table in the middle of the dining hall. Eyeing the table with undisguised anticipation, Sachimaru sat between her and his father. Her family sat to one side of her and her friends from Tsukuyo Medical sat opposite while Sesshoumaru's side comprised of Inuyasha, Jaken, Katsuo, Natsumi, Akiyama, Rin, Shippou, and their kits.

"I didn't know you were coming," Moriko said across the table to Akiyama.

"It was a last minute decision," the elemental replied with a small smile.

"This is nice," Rin remarked pleasantly as she began to chew.

"Hn."

Turning to Kagome, Rin continued, "We should have this kind of dinner parties more often."

Kagome smiled. "Sounds like a good idea."

"Keh! Food is food," Inuyasha declared.

Across the table, Shiori rolled her eyes. "Spoken like a real…"

"Oi! Stop right there," Inuyasha interjected, glaring at her.

Shiori raised a brow. "Something offends you, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha slammed his chopsticks down on the table, making everyone jump. Kagome blinked. This was not going the way she wanted.

"That's enough, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru chided quietly. "The pup and the kits wish to finish their meal in peace."

Inuyasha sat back down, but not before he directed a glare at an innocent-looking Shiori. Kagome grinned inwardly. It was as she had guessed. There were still feelings between those two. Maybe with a little bit more prodding, the two of them would get together.

* * *

Sesshoumaru did not miss the mischievous gleam in Kagome's eyes.

As comprehension dawned, he allowed a smirk to grace his lips. So, this was why Kagome had invited Shiori. If his mate-to-be wished to meddle with his brother's affairs, he would be more than pleased to watch the outcome. It should be amusing.

While Kagome's full attention was fixed to the pair, Sachimaru fidgeted beside him, glancing at Rin's kits who seemed to be just as restless. Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed slightly. This was not the appropriate moment to play.

"Chichi-ue? I'm going to sit over there, okay?" Sachimaru said, pointing at the space next to one of Rin's kits.

"You will finish your dinner before you play," Sesshoumaru instructed levelly.

Sachimaru slid off his chair, landing on his feet. "But it's just for a little while," he whined.

"Sachimaru."

The pup glanced up guiltily. That very reaction told Sesshoumaru that Sachimaru was simply testing his boundaries. It was expected, considering that the pup was only beginning to know him. Sachimaru's instincts were simply telling him to evaluate those around him.

"Sit back down and finish your dinner," he instructed firmly.

Sachimaru stared at him mutely and for a moment, looked as if he was about to argue. Sesshoumaru simply released a small portion of his youki, reiterating his dominance. Instantly, Sachimaru lowered his gaze and returned to his seat.

Good, Sesshoumaru thought. The pup understood his place.

He looked up to find the miko raising a brow at him. Then she smiled slowly, as if in approval. Nodding once at her, he wondered if she would break the news of their engagement to the rest. Perhaps she expected him to do it.

In that case…

"Kagome and I will be mated," he declared casually.

Dead silence greeted him, punctuated by the clatter of chopsticks on the surface of the table. Sesshoumaru heard the miko stifling a groan. Turning his attention to her, he raised an eyebrow in question. Was that not how she wanted it announced?

"Kagome?"

The miko turned to nod at her mother. "I agreed to be Sesshoumaru's mate."

Her mother blinked, and then set down her chopsticks before she spoke. "You mean married?"

Before the miko could say anything, Sesshoumaru interjected, "Yes. We will be married."

"We are?"

Glancing sideways at his mate-to-be, Sesshoumaru reiterated, "Yes." It was only appropriate to adopt her custom as well. That way, he would make sure that they were bound in both demon and human worlds.

Unsurprisingly, the loudest exclamation came from her grandfather. Eyes bulging, the old man sputtered. "You're marrying a _demon_?!"

Sesshoumaru instantly felt a stab of satisfaction. He had won this battle. "Indeed."

"Jii-chan, please…" she pled.

Her grandfather stared at her for a long while. As if realizing that nothing he said would change anything, he simply harrumphed before turning back to his food.

Then the commotion began.

"That's great news, Kagome!"

"Congratulations, My Lord!"

"Welcome back, My Lady!"

"Keh! It was about time!"

As the commotion around them escalated, his eyes met the miko's. With that one look, they shared their amusement at the entire situation.

* * *

Kagome stepped aside as a giggling boy rushed past her, his obviously disgruntled father running after him. A smile crossed her lips as she exchanged a knowing look with Rin. Grinning, Rin simply pulled her towards another shop in the shopping mall.

She supposed that she should not be so surprised at the fact that she and Rin got along rather well. They seemed to have quite a lot in common, apart from being rather close to Sesshoumaru. At that very moment, they were out in the shopping district, trying to find her a new pair of shoes for her return to work in two week's time.

She sighed when the conversation with Sesshoumaru a couple of nights ago replayed in her mind. He had objected rather vehemently at the idea of her returning to work. Could he not see that she just could not stand being cooped up in the house doing nothing for weeks on end? Anyway, it took a long while for her to persuade him, but he finally relented. Grudgingly, of course.

And he even added his own stipulations to it.

Kagome glanced over her shoulders. Shin was not far behind them, obviously trying to remain unobtrusive. Sesshoumaru had ordered the poor demon to protect her each time she left the house. Rolling her eyes, she stopped.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" Rin asked.

"Shin," she said simply, waiting until the male demon had caught up with them before she asked, "Shin, why don't you just walk with us?"

Shin gave her a sheepish look. "I do not want to disturb."

Kagome gave him a flat look. "It doesn't matter, does it?"

Shin looked as if he was about to say something. Then his eyes widened and in a flash, he pushed her and Rin against one of the shop windows.

Stunned, Kagome gasped, "What-"

A group of youths rushed past them. One of them pointed into the distance and yelled, "Over there. They are there!"

"There's a fight down there," Rin exclaimed worriedly.

Shin frowned worriedly. "I can sense a demonic presence."

"Let's go see if we can help," Kagome immediately said.

"No, don't!" Shin protested.

Ignoring him, Kagome ran forward until she came to a crowd gathered around two groups of teenagers. One group, the one which included those youths who had rushed past them earlier, was glaring at the other group. To Kagome's surprise, she noted that two teenagers from the second group had youki swirling around them. Those two were demons, flanked by their human friends.

"Leave them alone!" one of the teenagers from the second group yelled heatedly.

"They are demons, you moron! Can't you see?" the leader of the first group shot back.

"So what? They are our friends."

One of the teenage demons spoke, his voice hard. "Leave it, Ichiro. They won't listen."

The other demon snorted. "Narrow-minded, all of them."

"Who are you calling narrow-minded, you disgusting freak! Let me teach you a lesson," the leader threatened.

Kagome was about to step forward, but to her surprise, someone else from the crowd of spectators beat her to it. It was a middle-aged man, whose expression was awash with disapproval.

"That's enough, boys." His tone was grave.

The angry teenager snapped around. "What business is it of yours?"

"Do you have a reason for wanting to beat him up?" the man asked pointedly.

"He's a demon!"

"That's not good enough. They were not causing any problems," the middle-aged man said harshly. "But you are. Think about it, boy. Who is the trouble-maker?"

"But-"

"People should accept the fact that there are demons around and just live with it. So, let it be, boy."

A rumbled went through the crowd of spectators. Some were shaking their heads and some nodded in agreement.

The teenager glared at the middle-aged man. Then, without another word, he turned around and walked away. His group trailed after him, but now before shooting a glare at the teenage demons. Kagome released the breath she did not realize she was holding.

"That was close," Rin muttered.

Kagome nodded. "At least there are some people who are more open-minded about this."

"You'd be surprise just how many there are," Rin remarked. "Demons have been around for so long after all."

Sighing, Kagome said, "I just wish that we don't have to fight."

Shin patted her on the shoulders. "Don't worry. Once Naraku is gone, we'll be back to what it was like before. Lord Sesshoumaru and the rest of the lords are seeing to it right now. They left a few hours ago."

Kagome could not help but wonder if it was going to be that simple.

* * *

Striding towards the Taishou Securities headquarters with a silent Katsuo beside him, Sesshoumaru was fuming. One of their teams had gotten close to Naraku but the filthy hanyou managed to escape before he arrived. At least they had another captive – Hakudoshi this time. Perhaps Hakudoshi was able to provide them with some useful information.

Natsumi stopped him as he was making his way to his office. "Mr. Taishou? Akiyama is here to see you. He's in the meeting room."

"Hn."

After nodding a greeting at Natsumi, Katsuo followed him as he strode towards the nearby room. It was not unexpected that Akiyama had completed his ambush. After all, their plans included ambushing all of Naraku's hideout at the same time. It would have worked, if only he was not in the wrong place. Then Naraku would not have escaped.

Akiyama came into view when he pushed the door open. The elemental raised a brow. "It was unsuccessful, I take it?"

"Hn." It irked Sesshoumaru to admit that he had failed to capture Naraku, even with the wind sorceress's information. "The north?" he asked.

Shaking his head, Akiyama said, "Same. We destroyed all their hideouts and captured a few of his underlings. But they don't know the details of his operation. And I found Kagura's heart in one of the places."

Katsuo frowned as he asked, "Should we withhold her heart from her until we find Naraku?"

"She upheld her end of the deal. It is us who failed to capture Naraku." Sesshoumaru's tone was flat.

Extending his hand out to show Sesshoumaru the still-beating heart, Akiyama asked, "You will give this to the her?"

"She is down in the basement cells. Perhaps you would like to give it to her yourself, since you found it."

Akiyama shrugged. "Well, I could."

Turning to Katsuo, Sesshoumaru instructed, "Escort the Northern Lord to the wind sorceress."

Seeing that there was nothing to be done now, Sesshoumaru decided to return home. Using his energy orb, it did not take long before he was in his bedroom. Expanding his senses, he detected the miko's presence in her own room. Sachimaru was downstairs with Jaken.

He removed his watch, allowing his concealment to drop before he turned around to make his way to Kagome. However, even before he could step out of his room, the sound of light footsteps alerted him to her approach.

"Jaken said you're back!" she exclaimed breathlessly as she swung into his bedroom.

"Hn."

Wearing a look of nervous anticipation, she asked, "So? Did you get him?"

"He escaped."

She instantly slumped dejectedly. "So what now?"

"It is only a matter of time. He could not hide forever."

"The rest couldn't find him as either?" She frowned. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask… don't you find it strange that most of the attacks and the concealment issues are not as bad in the north?"

Sesshoumaru paused, and then said carefully, "Akiyama runs his territory a little differently and he was able to… hide the more severe problems."

"Really? How did Akiyama managed to cover it up?"

"Akiyama possesses different skills."

"You're evading my question," she accused. Stabbing a finger into his chest, she pressed on, "Both of you have a plan already, don't you? Tell me what it is."

"Miko…" His voice was long suffering. "It is not necessary for you to know."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Let me judge that for myself."

For a long moment, he simply stared at her. He had not spoken to her about what the other lords had said in the meeting in the island. Considering the uncertain nature of their own memories, Sesshoumaru knew that she would not approve. Still, it was something that the demons had to do as a species, to preserve the peace.

But she was his mate-to-be. Perhaps she deserved to know the truth.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was still staring at her with that thoughtful look on his face. It was so obvious that he was reluctant to tell her something. Whatever it was, it must be something that he knew she would object to.

"So?" she prompted impatiently.

He finally nodded once. Then he said, "We will run another ambush in a few days. And as soon as Naraku is apprehended, we will modify the memories of the general human population."

She blinked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean by modify?" she ventured guardedly. Something about his words worried her. Surely he did not mean what she thought he meant.

"Akiyama possesses the power to modify memories, to wipe the knowledge from the minds of those who should not know about the existence of demons."

A loud gasp escaped her lips. "What! You can't be serious!" she exploded.

His brows furrowed in displeasure. "Kagome, I assure you that this matter is as serious as one can get. The foreign lords stipulated this condition and we agreed. Otherwise, they will step in and interfere."

"No. I won't let you do it!" Kagome protested. How could he even agree to this? How could Akiyama agree to this as well?

"It has to be done, Kagome. Be assured that your memories will remain intact."

She threw her arms up in the air, frustrated beyond believe. Did he not understand what it would mean? "That's not the point! How could you even think of doing this to other people? Don't you remember what it is like having chunks of memory missing?"

"This is for the sake of peace," he ground out tightly. "It is nothing personal."

Her eyes flashed. "To everyone, _their_ memories are personal. We _forgot_ that Sachimaru is our son! I thought you'd understand, Sesshoumaru!"

He swung around to face her. "Understand? Understand this, Miko. Even before you were born, demons had been hunted down like animals. The humans made it a sport, bringing the heads of the demons to their village to display like a trophy before burning them. This is about much more than the mere memory of a few months out of the humans' lives. This is about the survival of demons as a species!"

She shrank back a little at his vehemence. Scrambling for courage, she tilted her chin up. "Haven't you seen what it's like out there? This is not the Feudal Era anymore. You are not alone. There are HUMANS out there sticking up for you. There are even polls set up to gauge the public's reaction to this mess. And guess what? Those who support demons are almost as many as those who don't. Doesn't this tell you something?"

He glared at her.

Not wanting to back down, she kept her eyes locked onto his. She would not let him walk all over her on something so important.

Then he ran a clawed hand through his hair in an uncharacteristic show of frustration. When he spoke, he sounded strained. "Kagome, do you not understand the severity of the situation?"

"You're not giving this a chance."

"This Sesshoumaru prefers to act while the odds are on his side."

"Please, Sesshoumaru. Why you just sit down with those in charge and talk things through? I'm sure something could be worked out."

"No."

Her lips tightened. "You're being stubborn."

"I am being cautious."

"You know what, Sesshoumaru. You just need to have a little faith in things."

"Faith?"

"Have faith that things will work out fine. After all, it's not like everyone hates demons."

His eyes narrowed. "This Sesshoumaru will not leave something like this to chance. Once Naraku is destroyed, we will proceed with the memory wipe."

"But-"

He quickly interjected. "We will not continue this conversation. Sachimaru is expecting me."

With that, he spun around and walked out, leaving her alone in his room.

Gritting her teeth in annoyance, Kagome suppressed the urge to stomp her foot childishly. Instead, she threw herself down on his bed, uncaring that she was rumpling his pristine bedding. Glowering at the ceiling, she tried to think of a way to stop this madness, to stop Sesshoumaru from doing something so similar to what had caused them so much pain and confusion.

But what? And in a way, she understood why it was necessary. But she refused to believe that there was no other way around it. This was no longer the Feudal Era. One did not need to fight anymore, did they?

She was so tired of all this.

And before she knew it, her eyes fluttered shut and she fell asleep.

* * *

She was once again trailing Sesshoumaru on his patrol.

And once again, he barely acknowledged her.

It was obvious that something was wrong, Kagome thought with a frown as she stared at the rigid figure walking before her. There was something missing in the way he treated her. He has grown cold again, barely talking to her over the last week or so. Was it because she had rejected him?

Or maybe he was just angry that his territory was being invaded. Sesshoumaru was probably just mad that the demon slayers were out of reach.

Kagome blew out a puff of air. She had trailed after him for two whole days and to her relief, they had not encountered any of the slayers. And since they were already making their way back to the castle, it was unlikely that they would meet any.

To her surprise, she walked right into his back. Lost in her thoughts, she had not noticed that he had stopped.

"You could have warned me," she muttered. It was lucky that she did not smash her head against one of the spikes on his armor. When she tried to walk around him, a firm hand clamped around her wrists.

"Stay back." There was no mistaking the warning in his voice.

"What? Why?"

Then her eyes widened when three demon slayers burst out of the treeline. Kagome recognized the girl, the one called Sango. But she did not recognize the boy and the young man flanking Sango. The boy was about Souta's age, reminding her of her little brother. Kagome instantly felt a stab of homesickness.

"It's you!" Sango hissed, glaring at Sesshoumaru. "You're the one who took his life."

The boy beside her gave her a questioning look. "Onee-chan?"

Eyes not leaving Sesshoumaru, Sango bit out, "He killed Hiro."

The male demon slayer stepped forward. "In that case, we will have our revenge today."

Kagome's hand flew up to her mouth. "No…" she whispered, shaking her head. Then in a louder voice, she said, "Please, it's all just a misunderstanding."

Sango swung towards her. "You saw what happened," she accused. "There was no misunderstanding."

"Hah, Sango, don't waste time. Let's just kill this demon," the male slayer declared loudly.

"Pitiful," Sesshoumaru drawled, eyeing them contemptuously. "You dare trespass into the Western Lands and threaten this Sesshoumaru?"

This was bad, Kagome thought. Reaching up to grab Sesshoumaru's sleeves, she pled, "Please, Sesshoumaru. Let's just leave."

He ignored her.

Without warning, the demon slayers charged as one. Kagome's eyes rounded with horror, but Sesshoumaru did not even blink as he flung out his poison whip. Sango managed to avoid the hit, but the golden strand connected with both the boy and the young man. Their cries of pain pierced the air before they crashed into the trees, making Kagome cringe. The young man picked himself up and immediately went to join Sango.

The boy, Kagome thought, anxiously searching until she found the small body crumpled at the base of a tree. She immediately tried to dart forward, only to be halted by an unyielding arm around her waist.

"Let me go, Sesshoumaru. That little boy… he's hurt," she gasped, struggling.

Sesshoumaru paid her no attention, but kept her restrained to his side while he attacked Sango. The female slayer was agile, managing to dodge most of the hits, but Kagome could tell that her human strength was failing her, while Sesshoumaru was not even winded. With one hand, he shot streams of green, sizzling poison at the other two older slayers. It hit the young man in the chest, sending him flying through the air once again.

"Stop, Sesshoumaru! That's enough!"

"Do not give me orders, Miko!" he snarled, finally speaking to her.

A moment later, a scream tore through the air as a lash of his whip knocked down Sango.

"No…" Kagome whispered brokenly as she squeezed her eyes shut. This was what she had been trying to prevent. But she had failed and now they were dead.

She felt herself being lifted into the air. A short time passed before she felt solid ground under her feet again. When she did, she opened her eyes to look at the taiyoukai beside her. His expression betrayed nothing. It was as if he had not slaughtered the demon slayers back there.

"You killed them," she said in a dull voice.

For a long moment, he simply stared at her. Then he turned away. "They are still alive. But not for long."

Kagome gasped. They were still alive, which meant that she could still save them. She needed to help them. Wracking her mind to think of something, she followed Sesshoumaru as he continued to walk in front of her.

"Um… Sesshoumaru? Can we stop a while?"

His steps slowed. Without looking at her, he asked, "Why?"

Think, Kagome, think. Then an idea occurred to her. "Well, there's this hotsprings nearby, right? If you don't mind, I'd like to take a bath."

A furrow of displeasure appeared between his brows. "There is a hotspring in the castle if you wish to bathe."

She quickly shook her head. "It's not the same. Say, why don't you just go back first. The castle is only a few hours away, so I can make it back on my own quite safely."

He glanced at her thoughtfully. Then in a flat voice, he said, "Do as you wish."

Turning away from her, he began to walk. Satisfied that he had bought her excuse, Kagome quickly backtracked to where they had left the slayers. Sesshoumaru's poison was very potent and without help, they might not make it. She just hoped that they were still alive when she got to them.

It took a while before the familiar clearing came into view.

It was unoccupied, Kagome realized with sinking heart. Did that mean that they did not make it? Or that they had managed to run somewhere for help?

A rustling sound caught her attention. Cautiously, she made her way to the edge of the clearing, pushing past the bushes as she stepped into the dense forest undergrowth. A flash of pale skin told her what she wanted to know and Kagome rushed forward until she saw the three slayers lying on the ground.

All three of them looked up, eyeing her warily as she stepped closer.

"You've come to finish us off?" the male slayer croaked. His skin was deathly pale, a sign that Sesshoumaru's poison was beginning to take effect.

Eyeing the free-flowing blood running down their forms, Kagome shook her head. "I've come to heal you," she said, kneeling down beside Sango.

Sango's eyes flickered. "Why?" she asked, but did nothing to stop Kagome from placing her glowing palms on the thigh wounds.

"Why?" Kagome echoed as Sango's numerous wounds began to close up. "Look, I don't have much time. Trust me, alright? I just want to help."

Silence followed her proclamation. Ignoring it, Kagome simply went on to the male slayer. The man maintained his wariness even as she used her powers to purify Sesshoumaru's poison. It was not only after all the poison was gone that a bit of color returned to the man's cheeks.

"Thank you," the man said quietly. "Please see to Kohaku. I think he's poisoned as well."

Kagome moved on to the small boy, biting her lips. Yes, he was poisoned, she surmised as she knelt down beside him. Without hesitation, she extended her glowing hands over his wounds.

"You helped us the last time as well," Sango remarked.

Kagome nodded as she removed her hands. Kohaku's wounds were now covered over by pink, healthy flesh. He was still unconscious, but from what she could tell, Sesshoumaru's poison was gone. The boy should be fine.

"Why?"

Why? Kagome frowned. "I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"This is a war between humans and demons, Miko. Injuries cannot be avoided."

Why did everyone feel as if it was natural to fight? Oh yes, this IS the Feudal Era. "Still…"

"Don't you want to be with your own kind?" Sango asked curiously as she shifted the unconscious Kohaku into a more comfortable position on her lap. "With humans, I mean?"

Kagome bit her lips. "Sometimes. It can get a little overwhelming with only demons around all the time."

"Come with us."

She shook her head. "I can't. I have… responsibilities here."

* * *

Sesshoumaru knew that she was hiding something from him. So he had waited for a while, long enough for her to assume that she was alone before he had begun to track her. As he backtracked further and further back along their earlier path, the sensation of misgiving within him grew stronger and stronger.

After a while, the familiar scent of the miko reached him, mixed with a more unpleasant scent of the demon slayers. His lips thinned in disgust. So, the miko would lie to him to provide aid to their enemy.

The breeze carried their words to him.

"Come with us."

"I can't. I have… responsibilities here."

"Come with us. You're a kind soul and you shouldn't corrupt yourself by associating with demons like this."

"But…"

"It is true, Miko. They are all very devious and they care about nothing but themselves."

The slayers were feeding the miko with such drivel but still, it was obvious that she was listening. She did not even bother to deny anything, or even protest. She simply listened. Did she believe them? Would she be swayed? Would she betray him? Would she fill their son's head with such nonsensical notions? Would she turn Sachimaru away from him?

A sour taste tinged his tongue. Throughout the entire battle earlier, she had done nothing to indicate that her loyalty belonged to the Western Lands. She had lied to him to aid the slayers and had so far shown no indication that she was on his side. Why should he trust her when she had betrayed his trust in such a manner?

His hands clenched into tight fists.

He had heard enough.

Turning around, he silently made his way across the forest, away from her. He did not wish for her presence. She could find her own way back to the castle without him.

If she wished to do so.

Without a second thought, he launched himself into the air and rode his cloud back to the castle. He was so immersed in his thoughts of her betrayal that he barely noticed the passage of time. The next thing he knew, he was back in his castle.

He immediately headed for the hotsprings, needing to calm himself. He had already lost control once over the miko. It was unthinkable that he would allow himself to do the same again. She was simply not worth it, he told himself as he sank into the hot water.

For a long while, he simply stared into the sky, his back pressed against a slippery rock. Cleaning away the evidence of battle did not make him feel any better. Leaving the water, he donned his attire and then walked back into the castle with every intention of briefing Katsuo on the latest encounter. From now onwards, the demon slayers would be killed on sight.

Shin was standing by the entrance, talking to the guards, but Katsuo was nowhere to be seen. As Sesshoumaru approached, Shin bowed.

"Where is Katsuo?"

"He went out to procure a mating gift for Natsumi," Shin explained. "He will return tonight."

"Hn."

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the miko passing through the gates. So, she had managed to find her way back. Disregarding her, Sesshoumaru continued, "Inform everyone that the presence of the slayers is not to be tolerated."

Shin nodded. "What should we do with the slayers?"

Sesshoumaru could sense the miko approaching, but chose to continue, "Kill them on sight."

"What did you order Shin to do?" she asked incredulously as she stepped up to them.

He simply stared at her. It was pointless to confirm what she already knew. With that thought, he spun around and walked away from both her and Shin. Unfortunately, the miko decided to persist in annoying him by following him.

"Why must you kill them?" she challenged.

His lips tightened as his control over his temper frayed. She dared to accuse him as if he was the one who had committed some unspeakable action? It was her who felt the need to associate with his enemies. It was her who had betrayed him in more ways than one. It was her who defied him at every turn, and as if that was insufficient, she even had the audacity to refuse his courting proposal.

As the blood of his rage roared in his ears, he pinned his gaze on her and hissed, "You dare to question this Sesshoumaru?"

Her eyes flashed. "I only want a simple, truthful answer, Sesshoumaru."

"You have shown no such thing when you lied to tend to the demon slayers," he returned icily.

The miko tensed visibly. "I couldn't possibly leave them there."

"Can you not? Perhaps you wish to explain why."

She threw her arms up in the air, looking agitated. "I've explained before! No matter how many times I explain, you just don't get it."

His eyes narrowed into slits. "Are you accusing this Sesshoumaru of being simple?"

"Don't twist my words around. All I'm saying is that us humans have different standards from demons."

He stilled. Yes, what she said was nothing but the truth. He was a demon and she was a human, a miko at that. They were inherently different. Ever since she had appeared in his life, everything had been chaotic. Nothing seemed to be rational anymore. He experienced odd emotions and it was all due to her _human_ influence. They belonged to opposing sides.

Her opinions did not matter and therefore, he should not let this affect him.

His lips curling in distaste, he intoned flatly, "Yes, you are nothing but a mere human. You are not worth this Sesshoumaru's time."

* * *

Kagome shrank back. She was not worth his time. Those words hit her hard. And all of this was because she decided to help someone who was hurt? She knew that he was cold, but was he really this heartless?

"Why are you being like this?" she whispered.

"You have proven that your loyalties lies with your own kind."

"They could have died!" she exclaimed heatedly. Was life so unimportant to him?

"You prefer them to live so that they could kill more demons? Such as our pup?" His tone was hard, uncompromising.

She did not reply. How could she? Of course she did not want anyone to hurt Sachimaru. But she did not want humans to be killed by demons either. How could she choose between one and another?

"Please, Sesshoumaru. I-"

He interjected coldly, "Your presence is no longer required."

She sucked in a sharp breath. The last time he said that, he had allowed her to go home to the future. Did he mean the same thing this time? Did he want her to leave?

"What are you saying, Sesshoumaru?" she asked in a strained voice.

"This Sesshoumaru has no need for someone with such ambiguous sense of loyalty."

Her mouth fell open at his accusation. Was he implying that she was disloyal to the Western Lands? That she would betray them to the slayers? How dare he accuse her of something like that when all she did was to try to protect some lives?

"And what about you and your ambiguous morals?" she yelled. "How could you think that I could let you kill those humans?"

"Then it is best that you are no longer present to object to such actions."

Her blood ran cold.

He wanted her to leave.

He really wanted her to leave.

What about Sachimaru?

"I'm not leaving without my son," she declared harshly, trying to fight back the burning sensation at the back of her eyelids. It hurt. His words hurt, but she refused to let him see it. Maybe he would take them back if she reminded him of Sachimaru.

Sesshoumaru turned a pair of hard eyes at her. "He is no longer your son. After all, his demon blood is stronger than his human blood. He will remain as the heir of the Western Lands."

She shook her head slowly, now not able to stop the hot tears from filling her eyes. She knew that he could be cruel, but not to this extent. There was nothing more cruel than separating a mother and child. Once again he was betraying her trust. Once again he was treating her like some possession he could discard whenever he felt like it.

"How could you?" she whispered brokenly.

Not able to face him any longer, she spun around and ran.

* * *

Kagome shot up in bed.

The unwanted words echoed loud in her head.

"_You are not worth this Sesshoumaru's time._"

"_Then it is best that you are no longer present to object to such actions."_

A stab of pain lanced through her, swift and intense. Her heart was still thudding madly at the remnants of her dream. Clapping her hands to her face, she tried to calm herself. This memory probably came back because of their argument earlier.

"Kagome?"

She looked to the side to see a silhouette stepping closer to her from the window. Sesshoumaru was clad only in his underwear, leaving the rest of his body bare. What was he doing here? Oh yes, she had fallen asleep on his bed. A quick glance outside told her that it was already late into the night. Sesshoumaru had obviously joined her in bed, and from the way he looked, had just woken up.

Probably from the same dream.

"Sesshoumaru," she whispered shakily.

As he leaned closer, the image of the Sesshoumaru of the past superimposed itself on the one in front of her. Unwilling to view his cruel expression, she lowered her gaze. This Sesshoumaru was different now, she kept telling herself. The Sesshoumaru in the present time was her mate-to-be, not the cruel demon lord.

It was not until she felt a pair of strong hands clamping around her shoulders that she finally looked up. The golden orbs staring down at her were troubled.

"You remember?" he asked quietly.

Was he referring to the same thing? He must be.

She hesitated momentarily, and then nodded.

Without a word, he pulled her into his arms. Unbidden, her eyes began to sting, and then before she knew what was happening, she began to sob. He simply held her tighter against him, running one of his hands down her back in an attempt to soothe her.

When she was finally calm, she drew back to look into his face.

"I don't think I want to remember anymore."

"It was unpleasant," he said quietly. Looking troubled, he added, "My words in the past… They were unnecessary."

"Did you mean what you said back then?"

He did not even hesitate. "No."

She sniffed.

Grimacing, he gazed into her eyes, as if to will her to believe him. "Those words were a… mistake."

"I don't want to talk about it, Sesshoumaru. Let's just forget it, alright?" she said in a small voice.

* * *

Sesshoumaru stepped into the lift, his mind still filled with the conversation he had with the miko last night.

There was no hiding his relief that she had not wished to discuss their latest memories. Recalling those words he had said only drew forth an unwelcomed fury directed at himself. Though on hindsight, he understood the reason behind his outburst. It was the combination of her rejection and her apparent betrayal. He understood now that it was simply not possible for her to leave the slayers to die. Such was not Kagome's nature.

The lift door opened. As he stepped out onto his floor, a grim-looking Katsuo greeted him.

"I think we may have a problem on our hands."

Sesshoumaru gave Katsuo a questioning glance.

"One of the guards overheard Hakudoshi and Kagura talking. Hakudoshi let it slip that Naraku is planning to do something today. I tried to get him to say more, but that brat refuses to say anything else."

Brows furrowing in thought, Sesshoumaru remained silent as he digested the information. Could this be a trap? Perhaps it was not. If Naraku was moving out today, they had to be prepared. There was no telling what the hanyou was up to.

"Where is Inuyasha?"

Katsuo blinked. "I don't know. I haven't seen him all day today."

Sesshoumaru frowned in displeasure. It was already late afternoon. Inuyasha had better not be up to his usual skirt-chasing antics. This was no time for such frivolities. Turning back to Katsuo, he said, "We will make our move tonight. Prepare the teams."

Katsuo nodded before leaving to do as he was bidden.

If they managed to capture Naraku tonight, Akiyama needed to progress with the memory modification.

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned in a grimace. Somehow or other, he had to make sure that the miko remained in his house while they carry out the ambush. Considering what was said between them about the topic of the memory modification, he was certain that she would attempt to stop it. Not to mention if this entire thing was a trap, he wanted Kagome to remain safe.

Pulling his cellphone out of his pocket, Sesshoumaru dialed a number.

When it was picked up, he spoke. "Jaken."

"Yes, My Lord?"

"Make sure that the miko and the pup remain in the mansion. I will send someone over to guard them."

He heard his retainer sputter. "B-But…"

"Is there a problem?" Sesshoumaru asked, wondering what could possibly be bothering his retainer this time.

Jaken choked out a croak. "The Lady… she is… uh…"

Sesshoumaru bit back his impatience. "Jaken…" His one word carried a wealth of warning.

"T-The Lady is not here."

Sesshoumaru asked, "Where is she?"

"In Hokkaido."

Sesshoumaru glowered as comprehension dawned. There was only one person that she could possibly wish to meet in Hokkaido.

Akiyama.

* * *

Kagome stepped out of the taxi, leaving Inuyasha to pay for it. Her attention was fixed to the building before her. Although not as tall as Taishou Security, the building was larger. She supposed Akiyama needed all those space for his laboratories.

Ignoring the sullen hanyou beside her, Kagome stepped into the main lobby of Hokkaido Envirotech. Inuyasha had caught her just before she managed to sneak out of the house, demanding to know where she was going. Then he had protested, telling her that he would not let her go. She only had to mention asking Shiori what happened between them for Inuyasha to capitulate.

But still, how long was he planning to sulk? And it was not as if she forced him to come along. He was the one who insisted on following her.

"I can't believe you're here to see that bastard."

She rolled her eyes, and then spun around to face him. "It's not like we're strangers or anything like that. Akiyama and I are friends."

"Keh! You're denser than a brick wall. You have any idea how pissed Sesshoumaru would be when he finds out you're here?"

Kagome groaned. "I know. But I just want to talk to Akiyama."

"You don't have a phone?" Inuyasha growled darkly.

"It's not the same," she muttered. She did not want to give Akiyama a chance to escape from the conversation. Considering what she had to say to him, she had no doubt that he would try to divert the topic. It would be more difficult for him to do that when she was right in front of him.

"What is so important that you can't wait?"

"It's complicated," Kagome hedged. From what she had gathered earlier, she suspected that Inuyasha was unaware of Sesshoumaru and Akiyama's plan. The two of them probably thought that it was better that the rest did not know about the memory modifications.

Not wanting to answer anymore questions, Kagome quickly made her way towards the reception. "I would like to see Kawaguchi Akiyama, please."

The receptionist raised a brow. "And you are?"

"Higurashi Kagome."

The receptionist nodded before she turned back to speak softly into her headset. After a moment, she nodded at Kagome. "Take the lift at the end straight up to the top floor."

"Thank you!"

Dragging Inuyasha with her, Kagome followed the receptionist's directions and rode the lift up to the top floor. When the door opened, she stepped out to find that Akiyama was already waiting for her. He gave her a welcoming smile.

"Akiyama," she greeted.

"Kagome. How nice of you to visit. And you too, Inuyasha. Come into my office. We can talk there."

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "Keh! I don't want to listen to you two talking. I'm going to stay right here."

Silently thankful that Inuyasha had decided to remain outside the office, Kagome followed Akiyama in. When the door closed behind them, Akiyama turned to give her a questioning look.

"I take it that this is not a social visit?"

She shook her head. "I came to talk about this memory modification thing."

Akiyama's expression instantly became shuttered. "Kagome, I cannot discuss that topic with you. Please understand."

"I already know about it, so what difference does it make?"

"In that case, there is nothing to discuss."

She glared at him. This conversation was turning out to be strangely similar to the one she had with Sesshoumaru. "Now, listen. Can't you see that this whole thing is wrong? What gives you the right to wipe out everyone's memory?"

"It will not wipe out all their memory. Only those associated with demons," he explained patiently.

She raised a brow. "So, for example, a child would not remember a story his mother told him because the fairy tales have demons in it?" she challenged.

Akiyama expelled a heavy sigh as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "That is true. However, both Sesshoumaru and I have a responsibility towards the rest of the demons to ensure their survival."

"How long do you think it'll take before something like this happens again? What are you going to do then? Wipe more memories?" she challenged, planting her hands on her hips.

"Kagome… Listen to me…"

She threw her arms up in exasperation. "NO! You listen to me! Don't you remember how terrible it is to lose a chunk of your memories?"

He grimaced. "It is not that simple, Kagome. The survival of the demons is at risk here."

"You've got to find another way," she insisted.

Slowly, Akiyama shook his head. "Please, do not make this more difficult than it is."

She pressed on doggedly, "You can stop this, Akiyama. You don't have to do it."

Akiyama's hand landed on her shoulder. His tone was firm when he said, "I can't."

* * *

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he continued to watch the building before him. It was as he had suspected. She had come to Akiyama.

Even from outside, he could sense both hers and Inuyasha's presence. At least she was not foolish enough to travel alone. She had been in there long already and he decided that he had given her enough time to plead her case to Akiyama. Even though Akiyama had conceded to him in the matter of the miko's courting, the notion of them being in the same room still discomfited him.

His long legs eating up the distance swiftly, Sesshoumaru soon found himself in front of Akiyama's office to find Inuyasha leaning against the wall. The hanyou simply inclined his head at the door.

"They are inside." Inuyasha paused, a thoughtful frown furrowing his brows.

"You heard nothing?"

"Soundproof."

"Hn."

Without another word, Sesshoumaru pushed the door open and stepped in. His gaze immediately went to the elemental's hand on the miko's shoulder. Their eyes met momentarily. Blue and gold.

"Akiyama," Sesshoumaru greeted levelly.

The elemental released his hold on the miko before he inclined his head. "Sesshoumaru."

"I'm here for Kagome."

"Don't talk as if I'm not here!" she snapped. "And I'm not leaving until you stop this crazy plan."

Akiyama was wearing a slightly pained expression as he turned back to the miko. "Kagome. What you asked me for is simply not possible unless Sesshoumaru agrees."

Sesshoumaru found himself pinned by a pair of blazing brown eyes. His jaw ticked. Akiyama had smoothly diverted Kagome's wrath. His mate-to-be was seething with suppressed irritation. She had to be calmed.

"Come, Kagome."

"What is it, Sesshoumaru?" she gritted out.

"You need to follow me back to Tokyo. It is not safe for you to be outside."

"Why?"

"The reason is unimportant at the moment."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Sesshoumaru, I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on."

He gave her a disapproving look. Why did she always insist on challenging his authority? And she always seemed to choose the worst time to do it. Sesshoumaru was not unaware of Akiyama's amusement at his plight.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru bit out. "Do not be difficult."

Her chin lifted. It was a bad sign, Sesshoumaru thought.

"Just tell me, Sesshoumaru."

Resigning to the fact that she would not relent, Sesshoumaru finally bit out, "We are moving in on Naraku. And you need to be in somewhere safe should he choose to retaliate."

Her eyes rounded. "You found him?! Where is he?"

Suddenly the door burst open. Akiyama instantly swung around in obvious annoyance. "What is the meaning of this, Eiko?" he admonished.

Bowing apologetically, the fire elemental secretary rushed, "You have to see the news. Things just got worse."

Kagome's eyes widened. "What happened?"

Frowning, Akiyama strode out of the office. Circling the miko's wrist with his hand, Sesshoumaru pulled her along as he followed Akiyama to one of the conference room. Whatever it was, he had a bad feeling about it. When he arrived, he noted that a few other demons were already there, all looking grim.

"No…" Akiyama breathed out, eyes riveted to the flat screen television mounted on the wall.

"Naraku…" Sesshoumaru hissed.

The screen displayed a fuzzy video clip. Naraku was sneering as he tapped a finger on the shoulders of a frightened looking member of the political Diet. The hanyou's red eyes gleamed as tentacles began to shoot out from his back. The writhing black protrusions reached around him and wrapped around the neck of the Diet member. The middle-aged man choked, his eye bulging out of their sockets as the tentacles tightened.

"My demands are simple. Fight me, and your fate will be like his," Naraku threatened.

Then the image was cut, refocusing on a frazzled-looking newscaster. "And that, was the tape we received an hour ago. The police urges the public to come forth with any information on the demon in the clip."

The news went on to broadcast a debate between a few members of the Diet. It seemed that even the political houses were split between those who wanted to give the general demon population the benefit of the doubt, while the rest wanted all demons to be apprehended.

A ringing sound tore Sesshoumaru's attention from the television. Mind filled with the most recent of Naraku's atrocities, he was tempted to ignore it. Hakudoshi had spoken nothing but the truth after all. This was Naraku's plan. And they were too late to stop it.

"You should answer that," Akiyama remarked quietly.

Annoyed, Sesshoumaru retrieved his cellphone and answered the call. "Yes?"

He listened as Katsuo explained what he had gleaned from some of their informants, growing increasingly troubled as a clearer picture of Naraku's plan began to take shape.

"When?" he asked after a long moment. A pause followed, then he said, "Do not do anything until I return." With that, he hung up.

"What is it?" Akiyama asked.

Sesshoumaru's lips were pressed in a tight line, betraying his anxiety. When he spoke, his voice was grave.

"Naraku is holding the Prime Minister hostage."

* * *

A/N: One more chapter to go and I'm done with this story, yay! Hope you liked this chapter. Please review if you can – I need that one last push of encouragement. Thanks! 


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Sachimaru, Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu, Moriko and Eiko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing the previous chapter of this story. Two weeks are almost up and so, as promised, here's the final installment of A Little Faith. I hope that you'll enjoy it.

* * *

**A Little Faith by elle6778 – Chapter 23**

"Naraku has the Prime Minister."

Silence followed his proclamation. Sesshoumaru simply stood unmoving as Akiyama and his mate-to-be stared at him in shock. The rest of the demons, Inuyasha included, wore similar expressions of disbelief. The sound of the television continued in the background of the conference room, but none of them paid any attention to it.

Finally, it was Akiyama who broke the silence. Turning to face his employees, he instructed levelly, "Return to work. Eiko, you stay behind."

Without a word, his demon employees filed out of the conference roof, their stiff postures betraying their concern.

Turning back, Akiyama remarked, "So, it's not only the Diet members. Though it is odd that there was no mention of the Prime Minister's kidnapping."

Kagome frowned. "I don't think anyone knows yet. Otherwise it will be all over the news."

"It is possible that this is being kept quiet by the media to avoid mass panic."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Perhaps Naraku wishes to keep the Prime Minister's kidnapping quiet."

"For the moment, you mean," Inuyasha added dryly.

Sesshoumaru felt a small hand circling his arm. He glanced down to find his mate-to-be staring up at him beseechingly. "Sesshoumaru, we've got to help get him out."

"I think I recognize the place," Akiyama said thoughtfully. "The one where they took the video clip. It look like one of the back of house area in this hotel in the north. He was certainly not there the last time I've been to that place."

"What were you doing in that awful place?" Kagome asked, wrinkling her nose.

Akiyama immediately averted his eyes. Knowing that the elemental probably had dealings with certain less… reputable demons and most certainly wished to keep it quiet, Sesshoumaru decided to distract the miko. "Kagome, they could be dead by now."

She spun around to face him. "We won't know until we try, right? There is always a chance."

"Even if they are alive, they might not be there anymore," Inuyasha remarked with a frown.

"But we can start there," Kagome ventured hopefully, her eyes on her mate. "We _are_ going to help get them out, right?" she asked pointedly.

Much as he was disinclined to do _help_ those who seemed intent on destroying the survival of his species, Sesshoumaru knew that they had no choice. For if the Prime Minister suffered the same fate as that Diet member, things would become much worse than it was now. Such a thing would certainly be troublesome.

Akiyama ventured, "Without our aid, I doubt they will survive."

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah, especially since they were stupid enough to be caught in the first place."

Kagome glared at the hanyou. "I'm sure they did not expect that to happen," she snapped before turning to the taiyoukai. "Sesshoumaru? We need to help them."

"We will extract all we could. But Naraku is the priority," Sesshoumaru finally said.

The miko frowned at him thoughtfully. Then she appeared to arrive at some conclusion and she nodded, apparently satisfied. Sesshoumaru immediately felt a stab of suspicion. What was his miko up to this time? Was she planning to follow them to ensure that they saved those humans?

"You are not coming with us, Kagome," he intoned flatly.

His suspicions were confirmed when her eyes flashed, and a now-familiar look of determination settled upon her features. "I am going," she insisted calmly.

Sesshoumaru felt the onset of a headache. He knew her well enough to understand that she would not be dissuaded from her intent. There were only two ways in which this argument would end. Either he disallowed her to come along, which meant that he would spend the rest of the time wondering what scheme she had come up with to follow them, or he simply allowed her to join them.

The latter option was preferable. "You may come on the condition that you obey my instructions." After a brief pause, Sesshoumaru added, "Without question."

She opened her mouth to protest, but Sesshoumaru directed an uncompromising look at her. Relenting, she nodded.

Akiyama turned away to face his secretary. "Find out all you can from our contacts. Then gather the usual assault team."

With a nod, the fire elemental left to do his bidding.

"I will have my own team," Sesshoumaru said to the water elemental.

"Do you not trust my demons?" Akiyama asked, his lips quirking.

Sesshoumaru declined to reply. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Inuyasha. "Assemble the necessary demons. Make sure Katsuo is one of them."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "What? Why don't you do it?"

Sesshoumaru felt a stab of irritation. Must Inuyasha question him in front of Akiyama? "Just do it, Inuyasha," he bit out.

Ears twitching, the hanyou spun around and walked out of the conference room.

Nodding at them, Akiyama went in the same direction only to pause at the door. Turning to look at them over his shoulders, his blue eyes displaying a trace of discomfort, the elemental said quietly, "It would take some time before your team arrives and it's growing late. You can rest in your usual suite back in my place while you wait. As you know, it's only around the corner."

Sesshoumaru reined in his surprise. It must have been difficult for Akiyama to offer to place him and Kagome in the same room in his own territory, but he did so regardless. To refuse such an offer would be impolite.

"I accept your hospitality."

Akiyama nodded, his expression unreadable. "Follow me."

As he made to follow the elemental, a discreet tug on his arm drew his attention to the miko. She was wearing a look which told him that she felt uncomfortable with the arrangement. He shook his head, warning her to remain silent, and then continued behind Akiyama out of the building. The sun had set and the sky was already dark, Sesshoumaru noted.

It was not long before they arrived at Akiyama's sprawling abode. Sesshoumaru barely glanced at the familiar surrounding as Akiyama led them to his usual suite. Opening the door and stepping in, the elemental gestured around. There was a small work area set up in the corner adjacent to the couch and the television. On one end was a door leading to a bedroom and next to it, one to the bathroom. It seemed that nothing had changed since the last time he had stayed in the suite.

"You know where everything is. It's unlikely that I'll return tonight, so you will find me back in the office."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head. He understood the elemental's reasons for remaining away from his own home. It would take some time before Akiyama was truly comfortable with the fact that Kagome was now a part someone else.

"Thank you, Akiyama," Kagome said softly.

With a nod, the elemental spun around and walked away. As Sesshoumaru closed the door, he did not miss the heavy sigh which escaped the miko's lips. His eyes followed her as she toed her shoes off and padded further into the simple, but comfortable suite.

"I feel bad about the whole thing," she admitted quietly, sitting down on the couch with her legs folded underneath.

A brief moment of annoyance flashed over him at the fact that she was mulling over the elemental. And then Sesshoumaru realized that he might be overreacting. After all, he could hardly expect Kagome to forget everything that had happened before she agreed to mate him.

"Do not dwell upon it," he told her.

She glanced up at him, looking surprised. Then she made a face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring something like that up."

"It matters not."

The look she gave him was full of wonder. "You've really changed, you know. You are more… tolerant nowadays."

Uncomfortable with the topic, he decided to change it. "You will sleep while we wait for the others to arrive." It was already late and the shadows under her eyes told him that she was tired. It would do them more harm than good if she were not alert during the operation.

"I don't need to rest, Sesshoumaru!" she immediately protested.

"If you insist on coming with us, you will rest," he stipulated in an uncompromising voice.

Resignation flashed across her features. "Fine, I'll sleep for a while" she finally said. "But first I want to call Sachimaru to check on him."

"He is at home with Jaken. There are additional guards around the place," Sesshoumaru explained, passing his cellphone to her.

Nodding, his mate-to-be dialed the number and waited. After a while, she spoke, "Jaken. It's Kagome." A pause followed before she continued with a smile. "Thank you for watching over him. Is he awake? Can I speak to him?"

Another pause followed and she glanced at him, her lips lifted in amusement. "Jaken said that Sachimaru was practicing on one of your guards earlier. I just hope that the guard survived it."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Sachimaru possesses good fighting skills for his age."

She rolled her eyes before returning her attention to the call. "Sachimaru?" A brief pause followed, and then she said, "I'm fine and your father is here. Are you behaving yourself?" Another pause. "Good. We'll be back once we finish off here. Take care, okay? I love you."

Then she passed the phone to him. Bringing it to his ears, Sesshoumaru spoke, "Sachimaru."

"Chichi-ue! Isamu-san taught me a new move using the bokken!" Sachimaru immediately enthused.

"Hn." The pup's exuberance was truly amusing, Sesshoumaru thought. "Did you thank him?"

"Yes, I did. I will show you when you return home," his son chirped.

"I look forward to it. In the meantime, be good. We will see you soon."

"I will. Bye, Chichi-ue!"

With that, Sesshoumaru ended the call. Turning around, he found that the miko had already fallen asleep on the couch with her head propped on the armrest. For a moment, he considered shifting her to the bedroom and then decided that it was best to allow her to sleep undisturbed. She was obviously tired.

Gently lifting her, he sat down on the end of the couch and placed her head on his lap before leaning back. Inhaling her soothing peach scent as he ran his fingers through her dark silky tresses, Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. Perhaps he should rest a little as well before the rest arrive.

He sank deeper and deeper into slumber.

Then the images from the past began to flash across his mind.

* * *

_How could you?_

The miko's words continued to reverberate in his head long after she had left, leaving him standing there alone to stare at the empty space where she had once stood. His initial reaction was anger, and then when the enormity of what he had said sank in, Sesshoumaru began to feel a surreal numbness settling over him.

What had he done?

Perhaps he should not have jumped to such conclusions. However, the evidence proved the miko's guilt.

Calming down a little, he tried to see the situation from the miko's point of view. Perhaps she had a valid reason for doing what she did. After all, she had not actively done anything against him or any other demons.

In fact, she simply treated everyone the same, whether demons or humans.

It was one of the reasons why he kept her around, apart from the fact that she was the mother of his son. She possessed a purity of heart which was rivaled by no other. Although far from perfect, most of her qualities were admirable.

In the circumstances, did he expect her to react any differently? Did he expect her to leave the demon slayers knowing that she could still aid them? Did he expect her to be anything but herself?

Hr grimaced. Much as he disliked to admit it, he knew that he had overreacted.

Furthermore, he had failed to consider Sachimaru's reaction when he had lashed out at the miko. Knowing how close they were to each other, his son would never forgive him if the miko left.

No, he would not let her leave.

He would allow her some time to calm herself.

Then, he would talk to her.

* * *

Shoji screens flashed past her one after another as she rushed across the castle.

Heart constricting with each jerky step, Kagome bit her lips to hold back the overwhelming urge to cry. His callous treatment of what she thought they had together hurt her. Her heart twisted at the recollection of the coldness in his eyes as he told her to leave. Even though they were not mates or anything like that, things had been peaceful enough, right? Why did he have to go ruin everything?

She tried to block it out, but her mind kept bombarding her with Sesshoumaru's cruel words. Each of those words ripped at her, tearing her inside out. Why did he say such things just because she helped those demon slayers? What did he expect her to do? To leave them to die when she could help them? She was not like him, she could not stand seeing others suffer unnecessarily.

For that, she was being banished from the castle?

For that, she had to leave?

And not only leave, but leave without her son? A son who would end up under Sesshoumaru's sole supervision, learning how to hate humans and learning how to take life without remorse? A son who would grow to be a mirror of the cold, cruel taiyoukai?

NO!

As she headed towards the servants' quarters, her breath caught on a suppressed sob. No, that would not happen. She would never allow her sweet, innocent son be corrupted in such a way.

If Sesshoumaru wanted her to leave, she would leave.

But not without her son.

She skidded to a halt near Natsumi's room, quickly forcing a smile to her face just in time to greet her son and the female youkai.

"Okaa-san! I missed you!" Sachimaru declared, throwing himself into her arms.

Her chest ached at her son's bright expression, knowing fully well that after this, Sachimaru would not be smiling. Her son would probably hate her for taking him away from his father. But it could not be helped. She had no other choice left to her. This was for the best.

She would bring Sachimaru somewhere safe.

But much as she wished to do so, she did not want to risk going down the well with Sachimaru. No one knew if he could pass through to the future. What if she tried and Sachimaru got left behind?

So the only other option would be to stay with Akiyama. In that case, she would accept the Northern Lord's proposal to mate. Something nudged at her, telling her that she was using Akiyama, but she quickly brushed it away. It was not as if she did not care for Akiyama. She might even love him already and he was certainly more reliable than some other demon lord she knew. She and Sachimaru would be safe there. And perhaps, after some time apart, Sesshoumaru might come to his senses. And only then would she let Sesshoumaru see his son.

She could not do this alone. She needed help and it could only be Katsuo or Inuyasha.

No, not Inuyasha. However rocky Inuyasha's relationship was with Sesshoumaru, she knew that the dog-eared hanyou looked up to Sesshoumaru and would never betray him like this. But what about Katsuo? Wasn't it the same for him?

"Okaa-san? You're not happy?"

Kagome blinked as her son's call drew her out of her thoughts. When she looked down at him, there was no missing the anxiety clouding his chubby face. Sachimaru had obviously sensed that something was wrong. Her lips twisted mirthlessly, realizing that this was the result of the gift Akiyama had so recently bestowed upon Sachimaru.

Stretching her lips painfully, she shook her head. "No. I'm alright, Sachimaru. Just a little tired from the patrol."

Then Kagome felt a soft touch on her arm. Natsumi's expression betrayed her concern when she asked, "Are you sure? You want me to bring you something?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Kagome brushed off gently. Then she quickly added, "Have you seen Katsuo?"

Natsumi shook her head. "But he's usually in his quarters by this time."

Giving the other girl a watery smile of thanks, Kagome could not help but wonder if this was the last time she would see her friend for a while. After all, the Northern Isles were not exactly close to the Western Lands. But she could not tell Natsumi where she was going. The last thing she wanted was to implicate the demoness. Sesshoumaru would have no qualms about punishing his servants.

Hurrying towards Katsuo's quarters, she could not help but wonder if it was fair to involve her hanyou friend. Even though she desperately needed Katsuo to help her get to Akiyama, would he be alright after he helped her? For she was sure that he would not let her down on this. Katsuo understood her and he had seen her through a lot.

Biting her lips to hold back her tears, she told herself to hold it together just a while longer. Pausing for a moment, she hugged a bewildered Sachimaru and brought forth her powers to mask both their scents. This would at least slow Sesshoumaru down if he decided to give chase.

Sachimaru gave her a questioning look. "Are we playing hide and seek?"

She wanted to cry. She really did. "Something like that," she finally choked out. Trying to divert his attention, she nudged at the end of the long one-storey wooden building. "Look, we're almost at Katsuo's room."

Sachimaru gave her an odd look, obviously undecided whether he should believe her or not. Ignoring the look, Kagome hurried to Katsuo's quarters and slid the shoji screen open. This was not the first time she had been in his quarters. As the main general, he had been given a two-roomed living space. Dotted around the outer room were his belongings and flat cushions were lined up against one wall. A small clay urn holding his mother's ashes was placed high up on the shelf at one end of the room.

"Katsuo?" she called out as she stepped further in, closing the screen behind her.

Then her heart sank when she realized that the hanyou was not in there.

Feeling as if she was not able to take another step, Kagome sank to the floor and gathered Sachimaru tighter in her arms. All at once, she felt everything crashing over her as her control slipped further and further away from her grasp. She felt so weak, so drained. All this was just too much for her.

No, Katsuo must be here, she pleaded silently. She needed him. She needed him to help her get away.

"Okaa-san…What's wrong? Why are you not happy?" Sachimaru whimpered pitifully, obviously sensing but not understanding why she was upset.

"Shh…little one. Everything will be fine," Kagome whispered tremulously, rubbing her son's back reassuringly. She did not know what to say to him. At times like this, she wished that Akiyama had not gifted Sachimaru with that particular skill. She very much preferred it that Sachimaru remained ignorant of what was happening.

"Everything will be fine..." she whispered again.

Her chest constricted painfully when Sesshoumaru's cruel face flashed before her eyes again. Why? Why did he have to do this to them? Why must Sesshoumaru break their hearts? What would happen when she left? How could little Sachimaru stand being separated from his father? Would her son blame her for it for the rest of his life? But was it fair for Sesshoumaru to force her to leave in the first place, especially without her son?

Who would Sachimaru choose to stay with, given the choice?

She glanced down at her son. Exhausted from the emotional strain, Sachimaru finally slumped against her chest, fast asleep.

Now that she did not have to keep up a brave face, Kagome let it out in a strangled sob, feeling her miko energy pulse around her and Sachimaru. The room lighted up with her anguish, her pain and her feeling of utter hopelessness, but she was still cared enough to make sure that it would not harm anyone around her.

"Why…" she whispered brokenly.

Numbly, Kagome rocked back and forth, clutching Sachimaru close to her. She did not know what to do.

_SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO!_

The room flared brightly again, leaving her even more drained. Silent, painful droplets fell from her eyes, trailing down her cheeks before they hit the tatami mat with muffled plops.

She did not know how long she sat there, bowed in helpless despair. She was only made aware of her surrounding when an odd feeling washed over her. There was someone else in the room with them, she realized, tensing as her damp eyes widened. Was Katsuo back?

"Katsuo?" she called out hesitantly.

"Dear child, I'm afraid Katsuo is not here."

Kagome instantly shot to her feet at the sound of the unfamiliar female voice. Holding Sachimaru against her protectively, she spun around until she faced a wraithlike figure at the end of the room. From the way the figure was floating above the floor, it was clear that she was some sort of spirit. And from her attire, Kagome figured that she must be some sort of priestess.

"Who are you?" she asked warily.

The old priestess smiled gently, but Kagome could see the hint of bitter grief in the small action. "I'm Katsuo's mother."

Kagome's hand shot up to her lips, her eyes darting to the now glowing clay urn before her gaze returned to the spirit of Katsuo's mother. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," Kagome rushed out. What had she done?

"Hush, child. It was the strength of your pain which called me to you." The old priestess gestured at an urn. "Your powers washed over my ashes, awakening me to aid you in your time of distress."

It figured that Katsuo's mother was as kind as he was. A watery smile crossed Kagome's face. "Oh…I'm fine really. I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

"Do not fret. Your circumstances are…difficult, being that you're not from this time."

Kagome gaped. "You know?"

Smiling, the spirit nodded. "I look over Katsuo and all those close to him. I heard you telling him about your home, even if he did not believe it."

Forcing a smile to her lips, Kagome said, "I don't blame him. It sounds a little far-fetched. But it doesn't really matter, because Katsuo never judged me on my background anyway."

The old priestess's eyes softened. "I am not sure how much you know about the circumstances behind Katsuo's birth. But his background allows him to be more accepting. I too, have once suffered from loving a demon."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kagome shook her head. "No, it'd not like that. I don't… love Sesshoumaru."

"You are deceiving yourself."

Kagome bit her lips, uncomfortable with the old priestess's words. "It doesn't matter, does it? Sesshoumaru wants me gone just be cause we have some disagreement." A bitter laugh escaped her lips, only to end up as a muffled sob. "I guess I was hoping that after all this time, he would at least treat me a little better than some possession."

The ghostly blue eyes sparked. "Hope is always a good thing until it eats away at you, twisting you, making you bitter," the old priestess declared with surprising vehemence. Then she paused, studying Kagome intently. "I can sense a great power residing in you. A pure strength. Should you allow yourself to be darkened by hate and bitterness, you will corrupt yourself."

Kagome sucked in a sharp breath. Did the old priestess mean that she would endanger those around her? "What do you mean?"

"Such power is not to be taken lightly. Child, you must remain pure in heart. Your powers must not be affected by such distress."

"But I don't know what to do!" Kagome broke out helplessly. "Maybe in time I won't feel so bad. But right now…" She inhaled sharply. "Right now I just can't!"

A moment of silence passed before the old priestess spoke again. "Will you let me help?"

Kagome's eyes rounded. Katsuo's mother was offering to help her? Should she accept? Surely the wise priestess knew what she was doing. Surely, whatever she did, it could not be as bad as what she was feeling at the moment.

Still, she had to ask. "What will you do?"

"I only want to make things right for you. To suppress the pain you're feeling, and to ensure that your miko powers remain uncorrupted," the old priestess said kindly, reaching out a translucent hand to brush her hair away from her face before reaching down, doing the same to Sachimaru.

Sachimaru's eyes shot open. "Okaa-san? I'm scared…"

"Shh…" Kagome soothed as she stroked his back. Then turning back to the old priestess, she asked, "But what will you do?"

"Do you not trust me, child?"

Trust. She was Katsuo's mother and Katsuo was a decent person, right? Could she be trusted?

Slowly, Kagome nodded.

"So be it," the old priestess intoned gravely as she raised her arms out.

"With all the powers I possess and all the powers which protects this miko, return her to her rightful time. Repress her knowledge and the knowledge of those who knows her, for this event would remain forever veiled. Let her live her life free of this pain of betrayal and heartache. Let her powers be contained until such time that her spirit is whole once again."

As the words sank in, Kagome's eyes widened in alarm. No! No, this was not what she wanted!

She opened her mouth, wanting to stop the old priestess from finishing the spell. But before she could do it, Kagome felt something floating out of her. Her entire body instantly felt weak and she slumped to the floor as the old priestess reached out to the chain and pendant around Sachimaru's neck. She could only watch helplessly while Sachimaru cried, trying in vain to avoid the old miko's hand.

"With what's left of my essence and the strength of this girl's power, may this spell be bound to all those who had felt the touch of her presence."

A flash of light blinded them.

Then there was nothing.

* * *

Kagome jerked up, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest.

Her mouth parted in horror when she remembered her dream. Remembered how the entire thing had happened. She buried her damp face in Sesshoumaru's chest, noting idly that she was being clasped in a tight grip by the pale demon.

Darkness surrounded her, but she did not notice it.

And neither did Sesshoumaru, it seemed.

Kagome could not believe what she had done. How could she have allowed something like that to happen. How could she be so _trusting_? Her lips twisted. At least the old priestess did not wipe Sachimaru out of existence. And somehow, the old priestess had also managed to return Sachimaru to her.

She remembered what the old miko had said about her essence and the way she had waved at Sachimaru. The spirit of Katsuo's mother had been the one who had used her own miko powers to seal the spell to the chain. All that time, her _own_ miko powers had been trapped in the pendant, working to suppress their memories until the chain had broken, thus breaking the spell.

Kagome swallowed past the tightness in her throat as she glanced up at Sesshoumaru. How would he react to this?

"You remember?" Sesshoumaru sounded strained.

"It's awful," she whispered. "I remember… everything."

"Hn."

Burying her face in his chest again, Kagome moaned, "If only I didn't agree to let her help me."

"Who?"

She stiffened when she realized that Sesshoumaru did not know anything about the spell. What would he think of it? Would he blame her for this entire thing? "What was the last thing you remember?" she asked nervously.

He remained silent for a while before saying in a quiet voice, "After I ordered you to leave, I went back to my chambers to reflect upon…what I've said. When my mind was clear once again, I realized that my words were unnecessarily harsh. I should not have asked you to leave. It was… a mistake. But my younger self must have realized it too late, for that was the last incident I recall."

His expression was enough to tell Kagome that he meant what he said. But she was surprised that the Sesshoumaru of the past had felt the same, even though it was not soon enough to stop the occurrence of the events.

Holding on to his hands tightly, she said, "I know. You were just angry with me."

"Back then, I had every intention of calling you back."

Kagome lowered her eyes. "I took Sachimaru with me and went to look for Katsuo."

Sesshoumaru's grip tightened. "Why?" he asked, his voice cracking a little.

"I… I…" She paused, biting her lips as her throat constricted. It was so hard to put this all into words. "I wanted Katsuo to bring me to Akiyama."

She felt his grip tighten further almost to the point of crushing her hands but she carried on, knowing that she needed to explain everything. However painful it was. "He wasn't in his quarters but somehow, I accidentally called forth his mother's spirit. She was the one who cast the spell to make us forget."

Still unable to look at Sesshoumaru, Kagome took a deep breath and whispered, "This is all my fault."

A finger under her chin forced her to look up into his stricken golden orbs. Then, slowly, he lowered his forehead to hers. Their noses were almost touching when he said resolutely, "It's in the past, Kagome. It does not matter now. Do not dwell upon it."

"But…"

"We will learn from it and ensure that the same mistakes are not repeated."

Slowly, she nodded. Feeling rather overwhelmed by everything, she sagged. Even though Sesshoumaru told her not to think about it, she needed to be alone for a while to process this.

"I think I'm going to take a bath to wake myself up before the rest arrives," she mumbled.

Sesshoumaru's eyes remained on her, looking as if he wanted to say something. Then he merely nodded and released her.

Still feeling numb, she stood up and without another word, padded to the bathroom. A generously sized bathtub was centered in the space, looking very inviting. She ran the water and while it filled, gather the necessary toiletries from a glass shelf mounted on the wall. Someone had gone through a lot of trouble setting this place up to make sure that there was everything one required for a short stay.

When the bath was full enough, she disrobed and stepped in, sighing as she did so. Immediately the memories of what had happened in the past returned to her and she grimaced. The whole thing in the past was the result of a series of accidents, misunderstandings and mistakes.

It was an accident that she had fallen into the well.

It was a misunderstanding which had made her Sesshoumaru's possession.

It was an accident that she had marked Sesshoumaru.

It was a mistake that they interpreted Inu-no-Taishou's scroll incorrectly when it came to the bond breaking.

It was a misunderstanding that had resulted in Sesshoumaru ignoring her when she was pregnant with Sachimaru.

The list was endless.

Still, without all that, she would not have known Sesshoumaru and Sachimaru would not have existed. So as awful as it had been, she was glad everything had happened. That she was now together with the demon she loved and their son.

It could have ended so differently.

If Katsuo had been in his room that fateful day, she would have been mated to Akiyama. In that case, she would probably have lived with the elemental for the last five hundred years and by now, Sachimaru would be an adult.

If Sesshoumaru had caught up with her back then, what would he have done? How would she have responded?

She closed her eyes and groaned. Sesshoumaru was right, she should stop thinking about it. After all, they were together now, right? Nothing else would happen to push them apart, right?

Right?

A slight squeak from the door drew her attention. Then the door opened to reveal the subject of her thoughts.

"Sesshoumaru! What are you doing in here?" she shrieked in embarrassment, dunking herself further into the water.

"I wish to say something to you."

Her eyes widened incredulously. "Can't this wait at least until I finish my bath?"

"No."

She released a sputter of exasperation. "What do you mean, no? You being in here is… is…" she faltered when he stepped closer to her.

A blush crawled up her cheeks when he began to remove his clothes. She stared wordlessly as more and more of his body was exposed as each article of his clothing made its way to the bathroom floor. When he stood fully bared to her, a surge of heat pooled within her, and it had nothing to do with the warmth of the water surrounding her.

"W-What was it you wanted to say?" she finally managed in a shaky voice.

The water splashed over the rim of the bathtub as he stepped into the water. Kagome's eyes widened further. He was joining her? Then she almost groaned out loud when his bare legs slid along hers.

"That I'm sorry."

She blinked at him, trying to remember what she had asked while being acutely aware of his legs tangled with hers in the water. When her mind finally cleared a little, she ventured hesitantly, "Why are you apologizing? I'm the one who agreed to let the old priestess help."

Sesshoumaru's lips twisted in displeasure as he leaned towards her, splashing more water out of the bathtub. "You were distraught. And it was all due to my words."

"But…"

She inhaled sharply as he ran a wet hand from the side of her neck down to the valley between her breasts. Then scooping a handful of water, he repeated the action.

"S-Sesshoumaru? What are you doing?"

"It is something a mate would be allowed to do."

Her lips parted in astonishment. "What are you talking about?"

"Bathing."

"Oh."

Kagome felt his breath on her lips as he locked his eyes on hers. Mesmerized, she could only stare into the smoldering golden orbs. There was something in them; determination and what else?

"I thought you wanted to talk," she whispered shakily.

"Hn?" he mumbled absently, his eyes leaving her face to travel lower. His fingers followed his eyes, trailing down her body into the water. "I wish nothing more than to mate you right this instance."

Her breath caught at his heated declaration.

"But this is not the appropriate time or place to do so," he remarked, his disappointment evident in his tone.

But she wanted to. She wanted him close to her. To feel what she had felt the one and only time they had physically joined as one. Suddenly it did not matter that they were not at home. All that mattered to her was both of them were here.

And both of them wanted it.

Why should it matter where they were? Why did they have to wait any longer? What if something else happened this time to pry them apart? Kami knew that a ridiculous amount things had gone wrong with their relationship in the past.

No, she would not let them slip apart again, she decided firmly. With that thought, she clamped her hands on his shoulders as he was about to lean away from her, holding him in place.

He quirked a questioning brow. "Kagome?"

"We are doing it. Now," she declared fiercely.

His eyes widened slightly, and then those golden orbs gleamed as he asked silkily, "Do you intend to mark me again?" It sounded almost like a challenge.

Her heart lightened as a grin spread across her face. Then she decided to tease him. "Someone has to do it, right? And at least I've had some practice initiating such things. You, on the other hand…" she broke off, shrieking in alarm when she was abruptly lifted from the water.

She gasped in mock outrage when she found herself slung over his shoulders while he tracked a wet trail to the bedroom. Kagome pounded her fists on his back only to be rewarded by a warning growl. Her only response was to laugh. Then her perspective changed suddenly when Sesshoumaru dropped her down on the bed and straddled her, completely ignoring the fact that they were both dripping wet.

Her laughter died in her throat. All playfulness left her when her eyes found his. Smoldering with unmistakable desire and something deeper, Sesshoumaru's golden orbs practically glowed.

"Sesshoumaru…"

His head descended to capture her lips in a deep, almost desperate kiss. Her hands went up behind his head, pulling him closer as she responded just as heatedly. They remained locked in the embrace until Sesshoumaru suddenly pulled away.

"You will not leave again," he declared fiercely.

She smiled softly. "No, I won't," she said resolutely.

Then she felt his lips on her neck, nibbling and sucking. His sharp fangs scraped her skin and a shiver of anticipation skated up her spine. With a growl, he dragged himself lower until he reached her breasts. Digging her fingers into his back, she arched up against him when he began to suckle on one tip while his fingers played with the other.

A whimper of desire broke from her when his hand left her breast to trail further down, tangling in her curls. She could feel her own wetness as he circled her sensitive flesh, pushing her to greater heights.

Her mind clouded with passion, she did not realize that he had slipped even lower until she felt the heated touch of his tongue on her nether regions. A breathy moan escaped her lips as she bucked against him, wanting more, wanting to touch him.

"Sesshoumaru, I want to touch you."

He instantly stilled.

Sensing the opportunity, she sat up and pushed his unresisting body down till their positions were reversed. As he watched with undisguised hunger, she lowered her lips and nipped at his chest, his muscles jumping when her teeth scraped against his flesh. She edged further down until she found what she sought. Then she wrapped her hands around his hard length. His entire body immediately tensed and he released a hiss of pleasure.

"Kagome…" he groaned as she began to stroke him.

More heat pooled between her legs when he jerked into her hand. Encouraged by his reaction, she dipped her head and licked him, drawing another ragged groan from him. Then she took him in fully her mouth.

He snarled.

Before she could register what had happened, she found herself lying on her back again with Sesshoumaru staring down at her, his eyes streaked with red. His chest was heaving as he struggled for control.

"Now, Sesshoumaru," she whispered urgently, reaching down between them to stroke him.

"Kagome…" he groaned as he aligned himself.

Her eyes shot open and her lips parted in a soundless gasp when he slid into her. She felt so full, so complete. Then all thoughts left her mind when he began to move. Jolts after jolts of pleasure coursed through her with each of his thrusts, and she called out his name amidst her moans and whimpers.

He dipped down to crush her lips with his and when he raised his head, their eyes locked. His thrusts intensified and his expression contorted in pleasure while she bit her lips. She could feel her entire body spiraling tighter.

"Mark me, Kagome," he growled, his fangs lengthening visibly.

A shaky breath left her as he exposed his neck to her. When she felt his fangs piercing her own neck, Kagome immediately bit down. His blood filled her mouth and her entire body heated with the ingress of his youki. Almost instantly, she shuddered, reaching her peak. Her lips parted in a gasp as waves of intense pleasure coursed through her, causing her to spasm around Sesshoumaru, drawing him to his climax. He jerked within her, snarling in completion.

Then all she could hear was the sound of their ragged breaths. And all she could feel was the comfortable weight of his body above hers.

Then she heard him say, "My mate…"

Smiling languidly before her eyes fluttered shut, she murmured, "Yes."

* * *

Someone was pounding on the door, jolting them awake with its infernal persistence.

Sesshoumaru sat up abruptly, instantly realizing that he had fallen into such a deep sleep that he had not realized that Inuyasha and the rest had arrived. He glowered at himself, annoyed that he had allowed himself such carelessness.

However, his irritation instantly dissipated when his gaze fell upon the figure beside him. A warm feeling washed over him when Kagome gave him a small smile.

It was then that he realized that he had been denied waking up next to his miko for five centuries. And he had no one to blame but himself, as it was all the result of his past self's doing. If his younger self had not insisted on masking his feelings, showing the miko only a side which she found unacceptable, this entire event would not have occurred. He would have spent the last five hundred years with Kagome and Sachimaru.

"Are they here?" she asked, breaking off his unpleasant thoughts.

"It seems."

When he stood up, she followed suit and they quickly dressed. But before Kagome could reach the door, he pulled her close to plant a swift kiss on her lips. A gasp escaped her, but she did not pull away. Instead, she leaned in closer to him, deepening their kiss until he finally decided that if they did not stop, Inuyasha would be waiting outside for a long time.

Breaking away reluctantly, he said in a rough voice, "Perhaps we should continue later."

Her cheeks flamed red as a weak laugh broke from her. "Um… Good idea."

It amazed him that she could still be shy after what they had done earlier. Still, it was rather adorable. Giving her a peck on the lips, he strode over to the door and yanked it open to find a scowling Inuyasha and a smiling Katsuo not far behind. Then Inuyasha's nose twitched and his eyes widened.

Wearing an incredulous look, Inuyasha exclaimed, "You can't find a better time to… to…"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "Mind your tongue, Inuyasha. Or I will remove it."

"Keh!" Inuyasha snorted, and then shoved Tenseiga and Toukijin at him. "Take these. The rest are waiting downstairs with Shin."

Sesshoumaru caught both swords before they impacted upon his chest. Frowning at Inuyasha, he slid both swords through his belt. At this point, it did not matter if he was seen walking around Japan with swords. After all, the humans would not remember anything once this was all over.

Akiyama's approaching presence drew Sesshoumaru's gaze to the end of the corridor. For a moment, Sesshoumaru wondered if Akiyama knew what had just taken place. But the elemental's countenance betrayed nothing.

"I've prepared a back-up team. And this might be helpful," Akiyama said, pulling out a bag containing some grey fabric.

Sesshoumaru took it, eyeing the fabric through the clear plastic dubiously. "What is this?" he finally asked.

"One of the Prime Minister's suit. Eiko bribed one of his servants. I thought it would be useful if we have to track him."

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to wrinkle his nose in distaste. He was supposed to sniff out the Prime Minister? The moment the thought crossed his mind, Sesshoumaru threw the bag at Inuyasha, who caught it with a wild-eyed expression.

"You will study his scent," Sesshoumaru intoned flatly.

Inuyasha's eyes bugged. "Oi! I thought you're the one with the better sense of smell."

"Come on, Sesshoumaru," Kagome coaxed, her lips twitching slightly. "It can't be that bad, right?"

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. Without a word, he extended a hand towards Inuyasha. Eyes gleaming with amusement, the hanyou handed him the bag. He opened the bag, allowing the scent of the human to reach his nose. Satisfied that he would recognize the scent, Sesshoumaru immediately threw the bag to Inuyasha before he turned to walk down the corridor with his mate.

"Make sure the rest recognize this scent," he bit out without turning around.

Inuyasha muttered behind him, "I can't believe we're doing this again. Thought we're done with all the fighting."

"Indeed."

Kagome groaned. "I just hope that my powers won't end up killing allies."

"You will _aim_ before you release your attack," Sesshoumaru instructed dryly, pausing to glance at her.

She made a face. "Easy for you to say. You've been using your powers for centuries."

The corner of Sesshoumaru's lips lifted, but he said nothing as they exited Akiyama's home.

Not before long, they arrived at a tall hotel building. It was one which tended to serve the rich, but those with rather questionable occupations. Even though it was already past midnight, it was still busy. It seemed fitting that Naraku had chosen such a place to carry out his schemes, seeing that the hotel employees were likely to turn a blind eye to them.

He scanned the double-height space, noting the luxuriously decorated interior. The guests and the employees who paid them no attention. There were too many humans and demons milling about and he found it difficult to discern the scents around him, even with his heightened sense of smell.

"Can you tell if they are here?" Kagome asked quietly as they stepped into the lobby.

"No."

With a nod to him, Akiyama and his team slipped away, heading towards the back of house area. Inuyasha, Katsuo and the rest went the other way to ensure that they did not miss anything. As agreed, Sesshoumaru and Kagome headed to the reception and asked for a room. They soon found themselves directed to a room on the tenth floor.

As they stepped into the lift, the tightening of slender fingers around his hand drew Sesshoumaru's attention to his mate.

"Is something the matter?"

A forced smile made its way to her lips. "What if we're too late?"

"Kagome, do not concern yourself which such speculations."

She inhaled slowly, and then nodded.

The lift stopped at the tenth floor, but Sesshoumaru pulled Kagome back before she could step out. At her questioning glance, he explained. "We'll start from the top. Akiyama and Inuyasha are covering the lower levels and they will work their way up"

Kagome leaned against the back of the lift, a worried frown still lodged between her brows. Her entire body was tense as she stared intently at the lift door. She worried too much, Sesshoumaru thought. They had planned this well, and if Naraku or the captured humans were in this hotel, they would surely find them.

His claws were already twitching in anticipation of destroying the hanyou.

When the lift finally arrived at the intended destination, Sesshoumaru stepped out, pulling his mate with him. He immediately expanded his senses in an attempt to detect his target.

"Anything?" Kagome whispered.

He shook his head. Irked, he began to walk along the corridor, passing the doors to each room without pause until they reached the stairwell. Once again he fanned his senses outwards. His eyes narrowed. It was faint, but there was something which told him that there was something out of place on the floor below.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Downstairs," he replied quietly. Pulling her close, he looked into her eyes, noting the mix of anticipation and worry in those brown orbs. "Stay close."

She gave his hand a squeeze. "I will."

With that, they descended and exited into another floor of hotel rooms. This time, his senses directed him to the end of the corridor. There was a door to the left, one which appeared to be identical to the rest. But Sesshoumaru knew better.

Placing one hand around Toukijin's hilt, he forced the door open.

They were instantly engulfed in a purplish smoke.

"Miasma," Sesshoumaru spat harshly.

Turning towards his mate, Sesshoumaru quickly pulled her closer and pressed her face against his chest in an attempt to minimize her exposure to the poisonous substance, all the while backing away from the door. Although he was immune to poison, the noxious scent was irritating his nose.

"Mmph!" she protested, pulling away from him. "I'm fine, Sesshoumaru."

He frowned down at her. "You do not feel the effects?"

She shook her head, looking confused. "It smells bad, but other than that, I don't feel anything."

How curious, he thought. But he knew that she spoke the truth, or else she would not be standing right now. Perhaps their mating had increased her defense against such things.

"I guess this is Naraku's suite," she mumbled.

"Hn."

Satisfied that the miasma would not harm his mate, Sesshoumaru pushed the door open fully and strode in. The thick curtains at the end of the suite were drawn shut, keeping the suite in darkness, but his eyes adjusted quickly to it. A muffled sound from one of the rooms off the main area caught his attention.

"I think I hear something," Kagome whispered, wording his thoughts.

He nodded, and then made his way to the door. It was locked, but with a firm push, the lock gave.

The room was clear of miasma, allowing Sesshoumaru to see the occupants. Restrained against the wall from what appeared to be makeshift hooks, the six politicians looked terrified. With a gasp, Kagome rushed towards the bound and gagged humans. She immediately undid the gag from the middle-aged Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister inhaled sharply when the gag fell off. "Who are you?" he croaked.

"We're here to get you out," Kagome assured him as she began to work on the bonds around his ankles and wrists.

Sesshoumaru simply watched as his mate struggled with the bonds, which to his eyes, were glowing slightly red. Finally, he said, "Those ropes are infused with demonic power. You should purify it."

"Oh." Then she drew back slightly and her palms began to glow.

The Prime Minister shrank back. "Stay away from us!"

"Look, this wouldn't come off unless I purify it, alright?" Kagome explained irritably.

She was obviously losing patience. Fools, Sesshoumaru thought. Could they not tell that Kagome was simply attempting to release them? The glow around her hands intensified and she directed it towards the bound humans. Sesshoumaru watched, somewhat amused when the humans began to struggle in panic. Brows furrowed in concentration, Kagome kept releasing waves and waves of pure miko power until the ropes were no longer glowing.

Snapping around, she bit out, "Sesshoumaru, can you come help instead of just standing there?"

Sesshoumaru allowed a look of distaste to cross his features, to which his mate simply rolled her eyes. "Fine," she ground out as she untied the Prime Minister.

Freed, the Prime Minister stood up and went to release one of the other Diet members. "Are you a demon?" he asked warily, turning to look over his shoulders.

Sesshoumaru exchanged a look with his mate before he fixed his gaze on the human. "Yes," he replied simply.

"You are a demons and you're helping us?" one of the released Diet members asked incredulously.

Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru thought.

Looking up from her task of unbinding another Diet member, Kagome remarked quietly, "Humans and demons are not all that different, you know. There are good ones and bad ones. Most demons are not like Naraku."

"Naraku…" the Prime Minister hissed, his eyes flashing with anger. "He's the one who kidnapped us from our conference."

Kagome nodded. "We're trying to find him. He's been causing a lot of problems for the demon society and-"

"That's enough, Kagome," Sesshoumaru interjected firmly. He did not wish to air demonic affairs to humans, Prime Minister or not.

With a huff, his mate returned to freeing the third human.

That was when Sesshoumaru sensed it. Instantly alert, he streaked towards his mate, pulling her away from the human she had just released. "Stand back," he warned in an uncompromising voice. Then he pinned his eyes on the Prime Minister. "Do not move."

"What?" the man asked, looking bewildered.

"Sesshoumaru, what's going on?"

"Be quiet."

Entire body tense, he simply waited as the presence grew closer. Naraku was approaching fast, presumably to retrieve his hostages. To Sesshoumaru's surprise, he could sense Inuyasha's presence as well.

So, Inuyasha was pursuing the filthy hanyou, Sesshoumaru surmised with a satisfied smirk.

It was not long before Naraku crashed into the suite, his red eyes instantly landing on them. Sneering, Naraku spat, "So, you've found them."

Inuyasha skidded in behind him.

Surrounded, but appearing to be completely unperturbed, Naraku simply went on, "If I'd known you were coming, I would have prepared a better welcome."

"Shut it and fight, you bastard!" Inuyasha snarled, lifting Tetsusaiga up in preparation for an attack.

"Inuyasha, don't! You're going to hit us with that blast!" Kagome yelled, pushing herself in front of the Prime Minister.

"Little lady…" the Prime Minister protested, but was cut off by another voice.

"Kagome, your barrier," Sesshoumaru instructed calmly, his voice not betraying his anxiety at the fact that his mate had just placed herself in front of the human to protect him. Even through he understood why she did it, the sight worried him.

With a nod, she lifted her hand, enveloping three of the released humans in a pearlescent barrier. When she was about to cast another barrier around the rest of the humans at the other end of the room, a wave of dark, slithering tentacles exploded from Naraku's spine, accompanied by horrified gasps from the humans.

Kagome immediately dove to the side, avoiding the tentacles.

Sesshoumaru snapped his whip through the air, halting Naraku's attack and pushing the hanyou back. Face twisting maliciously, Naraku retracted his tentacles. Then with one downward sweep of his hand, a swarm of wasps filled the room.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. Those wasps were poisonous. His eyes went to Kagome to find her creeping stealthily towards those humans who were still unprotected. He wanted to call her back, but he could not afford to direct attention towards her.

Ignoring the buzzing wasps, Inuyasha immediately charged at Naraku. The black-haired hanyou leapt into the air out of range, but Sesshoumaru followed by shooting a stream of poison. It hit Naraku's arm. The hanyou fell to the floor with a loud thud as his arm began to sizzle. A furious cry escaped him.

The miko's gasp drew Sesshoumaru's attention. His eyes widened when he saw a child-like white-haired demoness holding a circular mirror standing near the miko. Impossible. He sensed nothing from her, no scent, no youki. It was as if she was nothingness itself.

Apprehension washed over Sesshoumaru.

"Kanna," Naraku called out. "Take them!"

Her expression eerily blank, the pale girl simply nodded, holding her mirror out.

Sesshoumaru was about to intercept, only to find another unfamiliar demonic presence approaching. An instant later, a dark haired demon crashed into the room on what appeared to be an origami bird.

Naraku narrowed his eyes. "Byakuya. Where are the rest?"

The latest arrival smiled cheerfully. "Sorry I'm late. We were held back by this bloodthirsty blue-haired elemental. Akiyama, I believe he is called. And oh, no one else survived. Too bad, really…"

Naraku released a hiss of outrage.

* * *

The child before her, the one called Kanna, displayed no emotion when she lifted her mirror. It was as if she was not even alive, almost like a puppet.

Adrenaline coursing through her veins, Kagome held her arms out, allowing her offensive powers to fill her. The _child_ in front of her was not innocent, however much she might look the part, Kagome insisted to herself. She heard a crash from Sesshoumaru's side of the room, but Kagome kept her eyes fixed on the child's blank, soulless eyes.

Then she felt something. There was something about the mirror… To her alarm, Kagome suddenly found herself paralyzed. Her breath left her and she felt something pulling her forward. Not her physical body, but pulling at something inside her.

Kagome gritted her teeth. Whatever it was, she was not giving it up. Forcing her arms to inch upward, she threw all she had into her attack.

A beam of light exploded from her palms, shooting towards Kanna. For a moment, Kagome thought she saw fear reflected in the depth of those dark eyes. Then Kanna was thrown backwards, her mirror still clasped firmly in one hand. The wasps immediately surrounded her, protecting her.

Snarls and growls filled the air as bursts of youki illuminated the room. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Sesshoumaru occupied in an intense battle with Naraku while Inuyasha dealt with Byakuya. The three politicians surrounded by her barrier were cowering in fear, pressing themselves closer to each other. The other politicians were still exposed, but Kagome did not dare turn away from Kanna to form a protective barrier around the rest for the fear that the pale demoness might attack.

She should just deal with Kanna once and for all, Kagome decided. Taking a fortifying breath, she threw a beam of miko power at the swarm. The wasps exploded into smoke, briefly revealing Kanna before a new batch of wasps surrounded the demoness protectively again.

Kagome's irritation grew. This was not working. She had to think of something else.

An explosion of familiar youki jolted her.

Sesshoumaru!

Gasping, Kagome jumped back as a tentacle shot past her towards Kanna. In a blink of an eye, Naraku was holding Kanna in front of him just as Toukijin's attack made contact. Eyes widening in disbelief, Kagome could only watch, frozen to the spot as Kanna's small body shook from Toukijin's blast of energy.

Sesshoumaru withdrew his sword, a furrow marring his brow. "Your lack of honor is astounding, hanyou," he remarked flatly.

Naraku smirked. "She served her purpose."

Carelessly, the dark-haired hanyou tossed Kanna like a rag doll back to the floor, just in front of Kagome. Horrified that Naraku had actually used his own underling to shield himself, Kagome fell to her knees beside the broken demoness. There was no blood. Instead, cracks began to spread across Kanna's small body, across her arms, legs and face.

Kanna looked up at her. For the first time, Kagome saw a flicker of emotion in those black depths. It was… relief.

"Finally…" Kanna whispered.

Kagome's lips parted soundlessly. Was this demoness an unwilling party in this battle? Had she been forced by Naraku, and then to make things worse, used as a shield?

"I-" Kagome began.

Kanna interjected in a rush. Her voice was low, but urgent. "No time… Naraku won't die like this."

"Huh?" Surely if they killed Naraku, he would die.

"His heart… You must destroy his heart."

Kagome grew cold. Something was not quite right here. Was Naraku's heart somewhere else? Grasping the dying demoness's cold hand, she asked urgently, "What do you mean?"

Kanna's eyelids fluttered shut as her breath grew shallower and shallower. "Hakudoshi doesn't know…"

Completely baffled now, but knowing that this information was important, Kagome pressed, "Doesn't know what? Where is Naraku's heart?"

Kanna's body shuddered. "In… Hakudoshi…" she whispered, and then she went still.

A sudden burst of energy jolted Kagome from her confusion.

"Die already, will you!" she heard Inuyasha snarl.

A shrill scream pierced the air. Kagome turned around just in time to see Byakuya clutching the blade embedded in his stomach, his expression twisted in agony. Then with a flare of light, he exploded into dust. Smirking with satisfaction, Inuyasha retrieved Tetsusaiga and turned his attention to Naraku.

It was then that Akiyama appeared in the room, his eyes immediately landing on Naraku.

Standing surrounded by Sesshoumaru, Akiyama and Inuyasha, Naraku sneered. "Three against one, I see."

"Keh! So what? Either of us could take you down easily."

Naraku raised a brow. "I'm afraid I won't be staying for that."

A loud bang rocked the walls as Naraku released a stream of his poisonous miasma. It quickly surrounded all of her, clouding her vision. Then her eyes widened in alarm when she realized something. Those politicians who were not enclosed in her barrier would be exposed to the miasma.

"No!" she choked out as she tried to find the wall where they were bound onto.

"Kagome!" Sesshoumaru called out harshly.

"Damn it! Where are you, Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled.

Then she heard Sesshoumaru again. "Inuyasha, Akiyama. Go after Naraku."

"But-"

"GO!"

Ignoring them, Kagome continued to stumble blindly across the room. Where were they? She could not see them. The miasma was so thick that she could barely see her own fingers.

"Kagome!"

Realizing that Sesshoumaru was still calling for her, she yelled, "I'm alright, Sesshoumaru! I'm trying to find the politicians."

"Do not move." His voice was stern.

Then she heard it. It was faint, but she could hear them choking through their gags.

"NO!" Kagome yelled desperately as she rushed in the general direction of the sound. Please, hang on for a while longer, she pled.

A crash and then the tinkles of broken glass echoed through the room, but she ignored it. In her rush, she saw the hidden obstruction too late and tripped painfully. Cursing under her breath, she picked her self up and continued. There was no longer any sound to guide her. A feeling of panic rose in her. Please, no…

Then she saw the outlines of the three bodies against the wall. Heart pounding, she stumbled towards them, but realized that she was too late when she encountered their glassy eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…" she whispered brokenly as she fell to her knees.

She could not save them. She was supposed to protect them but they had died because she could not place a barrier around them in time. Numbly, she noticed that the miasma was dissipating, to be replaced with fresh air. The sound of broken glass must have been the window, she surmised absently.

Then she looked up to find Sesshoumaru standing next to her, eyeing her with obvious concern.

"They are dead…" she whispered.

"Let us out, please," the Prime Minister called out from the barrier.

Getting to her feet, Kagome went to them and dissolved the barrier. As she stood there dejectedly, they rushed past her to their deceased colleagues. Guilt washed over her in agonizing waves as she watched them release the bodies from the bonds, letting them fall lifelessly to the floor.

A pair of strong, familiar arms wrapped around her from the back. "It is not your fault, Kagome," Sesshoumaru said.

She sniffed. "It feels like it." All of a sudden, Kanna's words came back to her, making her gasp. "Sesshoumaru! Kanna said something about Naraku's heart."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "What did she say?"

"That you must destroy his heart to kill him." Then Kagome frowned as she recalled the next bit. "As strange as it sounds, it seems that Naraku's heart is inside Hakudoshi."

Sesshoumaru instantly tensed. Then his expression hardened as he took her wrist to pull her along. "We will go now," he instructed firmly.

"Sesshoumaru!" she called out in a rush when something else occurred to her. She did not know how he would react to what she was about to say.

He paused, and then glanced over his shoulders at her, his expression betraying his impatience. She knew that he wanted to return to his headquarters to deal with Hakudoshi. But what she had in mind was something that she knew only he could do.

"You got Tenseiga with you. Please revive them?" she pled, gesturing at the three lifeless bodies. The other politicians gasped at her words, but she ignored them, keeping her eyes fixed on Sesshoumaru.

He stared at her for a moment, and then his gaze shifted to land on the still bodies now laid out on the floor. Without a word, he strode towards them, one of hands skimming her cheek reassuringly as he passed. Kagome immediately exhaled in relief. He was going to help. He was not going to let them die.

The Prime Minister and the other two politicians tensed when Sesshoumaru drew Tenseiga out of its sheath.

"What's the meaning of this?" the Prime Minister asked incredulously. "They are dead. Have you no respect?"

"Silence."

The Prime Minister reared back, obviously affronted at Sesshoumaru's cold instruction.

Kagome quickly explained, "He's going to try to bring them back to life."

One of the Diet members gasped. "That's impossible."

A wry smile graced her lips. "It's not impossible. I've seen Sesshoumaru revive the dead before."

They wore identical expressions of doubt but she could also see a slight hint of hopefulness in their eyes. Turning away from them, she watched as Sesshoumaru studied the bodies for a moment before slashing Tenseiga downward.

At first, nothing happened.

Then one of the recently-dead politicians sat up abruptly, gasping for breath as his eyes flew open. The other two followed an instant later.

The Prime Minister gasped, his eyes wide in his face.

Then one of the other Diet members fainted.

* * *

Speeding through the sky in his energy orb, Sesshoumaru soon found himself in Tokyo with his mate. Saving the humans had delayed him slightly, but it had been necessary. Furthermore, Kagome would not have allowed him to leave without reviving them.

When they finally arrived on the rooftop of Taishou Securities, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in anticipation. But now, he had only one task in mind.

Hakudoshi.

He had Hakudoshi right under his nose all this time and he had no inkling of the part the young demon played in Naraku's nefarious schemes. Holding his mate in his arm, Sesshoumaru leapt down the escape stairs until he reached the basement.

"What are you doing to do, Sesshoumaru?" she asked when he set her down on her feet at the base of the stairs.

"Destroy his heart."

"But Hakudoshi…"

"Will die if he gets in my way," he replied stonily.

The filthy hanyou had endangered the survival of their entire species and as if that was insufficient, Naraku had been foolish enough to threaten his family. Hence Naraku must die at whatever cost. Even if Kagome protested, Sesshoumaru would do nothing else.

"Okay."

Sesshoumaru froze. He was not certain that he had heard her correctly. Slowly turning around, he asked cautiously, "You would allow this?"

She stared at him with her large brown eyes. Then she nodded resolutely. "I trust you to deal with this, Sesshoumaru." Then she frowned. "I don't like the idea of killing, but in this case, I don't think we have much of a choice if there is more resistance to come."

Warmed by his mate's words, Sesshoumaru leaned down to nuzzle her cheeks. And then he drew back to find that she was wearing an encouraging smile.

"Okay, let's go," she chirped as she stepped back, linking her fingers through his.

"Hn."

With that, Sesshoumaru guided her out of the stairwell into the secured holding area. The guards nodded at him before releasing the lock to the outer door. Kagome's fingers tightened around his momentarily when they entered the dimly lit corridor with holding cells lined along each side.

The wind sorceress looked up when they passed, raising her brows curiously, but Sesshoumaru ignored her. Through the demon-proof bars, he could see Hakudoshi seated cross legged in the next cell, appearing just as curious.

Inclining his head at Hakudoshi's cell, Sesshoumaru ordered one of the guards, "Open it."

Without hesitation, the inuyoukai unlocked the door. Hakudoshi did not move from the bench. He obviously knew that attempting escape at the moment was nothing short of foolish.

"Paying us a visit, Sesshoumaru? How kind of you," the young demon remarked sarcastically.

Sesshoumaru said nothing. He simply expanded his senses, trying to detect something foreign in Hakudoshi. It was not long before he found it. The pounding of another heart, a more rapid pounding in comparison to Hakudoshi's own heart.

The corner of his lips lifted and he stepped towards the young demon.

Hakudoshi tensed.

Sesshoumaru streaked back when the young demon raised a barrier. Lips thinning in irritation, Sesshoumaru simply advanced and slashed the barrier open. Hakudoshi's eyes narrowed but before he could create another barrier, Sesshoumaru clamped his fingers around the demon's neck and lifted him up into the air with one hand.

Hakudoshi simply stared at him defiantly, not even struggling.

"You have something which does not belong to you," Sesshoumaru said levelly, wondering how the child-like demon would react. "A heart."

The pair of purple eyes flickered with surprise. "What are you talking about? What heart?" Hakudoshi hissed.

Sesshoumaru detected no lie in the other demon's words. So, Naraku had truly managed to hide his heart within Hakudoshi without the other demon's knowledge. Smirking with the satisfaction that his goal was within reach, Sesshoumaru extended the claws in his free hand.

Only then did Hakudoshi began to struggle. "W-What the h-hell?!" he sputtered.

"Be still," Sesshoumaru hissed as he brought his claws closer to Hakudoshi's stomach.

"NO!"

Sesshoumaru sank his claws into Hakudoshi's flesh. Ignoring the other demon's gasps, his fingers closed around a firm muscle and yanked it out. Then he released Hakudoshi.

A red, beating heart, crisscrossed with dark streaks fell on the floor with a dull thud.

Clutching his bleeding stomach, Hakudoshi gasped, his eyes wide as he stared at the heart on the floor. His hand immediately went to his chest, obviously to find his own heart. "I'm still alive," he whispered disbelievingly.

"Hmph! Why am I not surprised that he kept this from me too?" the wind sorceress muttered from the next cell. "That's Naraku's heart, isn't it?"

Sesshoumaru glanced around to see his mate looking into the other cell. "You didn't know?" Kagome asked curiously.

Kagura flipped her fan open and fanned herself. "He doesn't tell me much," she said disinterestedly. "Doesn't trust me."

Deciding that he had had enough of the idle conversation, Sesshoumaru stood over the beating heart. Ignoring all the eyes around him, he unsheathed Toukijin. His lips twisted slightly then. How… appropriate that Naraku's heart would soon be pierced by Toukijin, a blade formed from one of his own.

"Do it," his mate said firmly. "End this."

"As you wish," Sesshoumaru replied quietly.

The tip of his blade pierced Naraku's heart. Instantly, black blood oozed out of the wound as the heart jolted once, twice…

Then it was still.

Sesshoumaru did not know why, but something compelled him to turn to his mate. "Purify it," he instructed.

With a nod, Kagome stepped to his side and held her hand over the remains of the heart. All the demons around him tensed as the pure power shot out of her palm down to the heart. In an instant, the fleshy object turned into dust.

Silence filled the air as they stared at the spot where Naraku's heart used to be.

In the end, it was Kagura who broke the silence.

"Sesshoumaru, I suggest that you never anger your mate."

* * *

The morning sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the occupants of the kitchen in its cheerful light.

From her position kneeling on the floor, Kagome smiled up at her mate who was seated at the kitchen table next to Inuyasha, opposite Akiyama. Sesshoumaru's gaze was heated and there was something in his eyes which told her that he was impatient to be alone with her.

"It was kind of a let down," Inuyasha grumbled.

Kagome stifled her grin as she continued to repair the sulky hanyou's wounds.

After destroying Naraku's heart, she and Sesshoumaru had returned home to be greeted by an excited Sachimaru and a relieved Jaken. Once guards had been instructed to return home to rest, they had sat down with Sachimaru who insisted on knowing every detail of their 'mission'.

She and Sesshoumaru had finally managed to satisfy their son's curiosity when Inuyasha barged in with a thunderous expression. Akiyama had joined them a second later with a much calmer countenance. Even though everyone was happy that Naraku was finally destroyed, it was clear that Inuyasha felt cheated by the battle.

"Damn it! Akiyama and I chased the bastard down Hokkaido then Akiyama dragged me across the freaking ocean. Through the water! And when we finally got to him, Naraku was practically dead. Kaze-no-kizu was an overkill, can you believe it?!" Inuyasha ranted.

Akiyama turned to Sesshoumaru. "His heart was already destroyed then, I take it."

"Hn."

Inuyasha jumped to his feet, glaring at his brother. "Then why the hell didn't you tell us earlier to save us the trouble of chasing Naraku?"

Kagome immediately yanked the hanyou back down to the chair. "SIT! I'm not done yet," she snapped.

Ears flattening, Inuyasha simply glowered.

"Should we proceed with the next stage?" Akiyama asked quietly.

Kagome froze. She knew exactly what Akiyama was referring to. The memory wipe was supposed to be the next stage after Naraku's destruction. Finishing off with Inuyasha's bandages, she turned around to face her mate, prepared to argue her case once again. But before she could open her mouth, Jaken rushed into the kitchen, his eyes large in his face.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken croaked as he stumbled to a stop.

Sesshoumaru frowned down at his retainer. "What is it, Jaken?"

"The… the…" he stuttered.

Sachimaru ran in, looking excited. "The Prime Minister is on television, and he's talking about demons," he exclaimed.

Jaken turned to glare at Sachimaru. Kagome was about to laugh at the diminutive demon's expression, but she froze when Sachimaru's words sank in. The Prime Minister was already on television so soon?

"Keh! Let's go see what he has to say," Inuyasha said, jumping up to follow Sachimaru out of the room.

She exchanged a glance with Sesshoumaru, who remained as unreadable as ever. However, once Akiyama had left to join Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru's expression softened and he brushed his fingers across her cheeks.

"Do not worry," he said.

Sighing, she grabbed his hand and together, they made their way to the living room. When they neared the television, Sachimaru turned around to launch himself into her arms. Smiling at her son indulgently, Kagome hefted him into a comfortable position before she turned her attention to the television.

The speaker was the Prime Minister, now cleaned up and appearing none worse for wear apart from the light shadows under his eyes.

"…Recently, certain demons have caused much unrest, as we have seen from the fights and general disturbances to our peaceful country," the Prime Minister said grimly.

"The bastard," Inuyasha hissed. "Should have let him die back there."

"Shh!" Kagome chided.

The Prime Minister then continued in a softer, somewhat regretful voice. "Humans are not blameless either. Fearing what we do not understand, many humans have been intolerant. And this intolerance made matters worse. However, it gladdens me to say that there are also a large number of humans that have accepted and have defended the demons' right to live beside us."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," Inuyasha muttered.

"Be quiet, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru bit out.

"Keh!"

The Prime Minister took a deep breath before continuing, "In light of the recent developments, I feel that it would be beneficial for both humans and demons to have an open discussion. If we are to coexist in peace, we need to reach an agreement, a compromise." Wearing an earnest expression, the Prime Minister held out his hands towards the camera. "Therefore, I invite the representative of the demon society to step forward to plan a new, integrated society."

Kagome's jaw dropped. And then slowly, an excited grin grew on her face. Hugging Sachimaru tightly, she spun around to Sesshoumaru and exclaimed, "Did you hear that?"

"Hn." Sesshoumaru was wearing a thoughtful expression.

"Okaa-san! You're squashing me!" Sachimaru complained.

She immediately shot her son an apologetic look before lowering him to his feet. Turning to a just as thoughtful Akiyama, Kagome went on, "You don't have to do the wipe now."

"What wipe?" Inuyasha asked curiously.

"The mem-"

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru interrupted firmly.

Oh, yes, she suddenly remembered. Inuyasha did not know about it. Forcing out a laugh, she turned towards the bewildered hanyou. "Nothing to worry about."

Inuyasha gave her a suspicious look. "Keh! Fine, don't tell me. I'm going to sleep anyway." With that he turned and began to walk out of the living room.

Sesshoumaru turned to his son. "It is time for your studies, Sachimaru. Go prepare yourself." Turning to Jaken, he added pointedly, "You will assist Sachimaru."

Understanding his lord's unspoken words, Jaken nodded. The retainer took her son's hand and led him out of the living room, leaving only her, Sesshoumaru and Akiyama in the space. For a moment, they simply stared at each other wordlessly. The television was still on, but the news had moved on to something else.

"So?" Kagome prompted impatiently. "There's no reason to do the wipe now, right?"

Akiyama frowned. "It seems that the Prime Minister genuinely meant what he just said."

"I do not think he is lying. However, it would be dangerous to expose ourselves."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "He has already seen you, remember? And you saved their lives. Come on, Sesshoumaru. Don't you think it is better to stop hiding? To stop disguising yourself like this?"

"Perhaps."

"We have to consider the foreign demons as well. If they object to it, this could turn out to be messy," Akiyama pointed out. "They will step in if they feel that it is necessary."

Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed. "They have the right to do so. It is not unreasonable for them to be concerned. If Japanese demons can walk undisguised in public, it is inevitable that the foreign demons would seek the same."

"Is that such a bad thing?" Kagome asked. "After all, demons have been around all this time anyway."

Akiyama's frown deepened. "This will not be easy. If we chose to accept their offer of peace and forgo the memory wipe, we would have a rather unsettling time ahead of us. Who knows how long it will last before we arrive at some sort of peace?"

Kagome made a face. "Even humans fight amongst each other. I don't think anyone can expect everyone to get along perfectly. All we can do is try."

Sesshoumaru inhaled slowly. "Perhaps we should accept-"

A joyous gasp escaped her lips before he could finish. "Really?" she exclaimed.

Her mate looked down at her. "For now. If the situation improves, then we will forgo the memory wipe." Turning to Akiyama, he added, "Before we arrive at a final decision, we should discuss this with Takeo and Kouga, and then the foreign lords."

"Takeo and Kouga will follow our lead," Akiyama pointed out.

"The foreign lords might prove to be troublesome." Then the corner of Sesshoumaru's lips lifted. "It will be a challenge."

* * *

_Years later…_

Sesshoumaru glanced around the restaurant in central Kyoto, noting that there were almost as many demons as there were humans occupying the tables.

More than four years ago, even before the revelation of demons' existence to the public, such a thing had not been uncommon. However, now there was a difference. The difference was that in these recent years, those demons that sat alongside the humans no longer concealed their heritage.

Instead, they wore it proudly.

After Naraku's destruction, they had managed to persuade the foreign lords to agree to allow them to try coming out in the open Surprisingly, it had not been too difficult to persuade them. Perhaps the foreign demons were also weary of concealing themselves. Then there had been the issue of representative. He, Sesshoumaru, had no wish to parade himself in front of the mass public. Such a task suited Akiyama better. Therefore, they had agreed that Akiyama would represent the demons in public, while the rest of the Japanese demon lords acted in the background.

The discussions had begun tentatively and then it grew more frequent as more issues were raised. There had been many heated debates and then compromises, and then more debates. Rules and guidances and been set up and laws had been modified. The situation with the humans was still rocky till this day, but even the worst of them were coming around to accept that demons had every right to exist openly as well.

It was not easy but at least demons no longer lived under the shroud of secrecy.

The clatter of utensils brought Sesshoumaru's attention back to his own table. He noted absently that everyone had finished their food and that the source of the disruption was Inuyasha.

His hanyou brother was glaring at Shiori, who only stared back calmly as she said, "You know I'm right, Inuyasha."

Sputtering, Inuyasha protested indignantly, "I'm not afraid of commitment! What the hell has this got to do with that man flirting with you, anyway?"

Shiori raised a disbelieving brow before she turned away pointedly from Inuyasha. "If you don't understand such an obvious thing, then it's pointless for me to explain further."

Sesshoumaru watched with barely veiled amusement as they continued to bicker. Inuyasha's relationship with Shiori had never been smooth and he doubted that it would ever be, considering their relative temperament. Still, it did not mean that they could not be together. After all, he and Kagome had survived through worse. Glancing around to his mate, Sesshoumaru found her grinning at the same sight. Then his eyes lowered to the chubby arms around Kagome's neck.

Misao, his daughter.

Like her brother, Misao had been born in the castle of the Western Lands. More than two years had passed since they returned to his ancestral home, the castle set within the vast private land just outside Kyoto. Everything was as the original construction with the exception of the new modern amenities. It had taken many years to complete the restoration work, but it was worth the wait, especially now that they did not need to move from country to country every few decades to conceal their identities.

The two-year old pup was asleep with her head on her mother's shoulders, her dark lashes forming crescent moon shapes over her cheeks, hiding her dark brown eyes. Further down, the fringe of her silver hair brushed lightly against the magenta stripes on her rounded cheeks.

Misao was obviously tired from the excitement of the day with the arrival of the visitors, unlike her older brother. The nine-year-old Sachimaru had grown fast over the last few years, and now looked like an average twelve-year-old human. His baby-fat was beginning to disappear, to be replaced by a lanky, teenage form. Wide-awake, Sachimaru was still chattering animatedly with the elemental seated opposite Inuyasha.

Inuyasha had traveled to Kyoto with Shiori this morning for their weekly meeting. Now that Taishou Securities had been split into two branches, one in Tokyo and one in Kyoto, Inuyasha had taken over the one in Tokyo, leaving Hiten and Yura to manage IY Media and Entertainment.

Coincidentally, Akiyama was also in Kyoto, dealing with some of his own business, therefore they had decided to have a meal out. Katsuo and Natsumi had been invited as well, but Sesshoumaru did not blame them for declining the invitation. After all, their newly-born pup deserved all their attention.

"Sesshoumaru. It is time for me to depart."

Sesshoumaru turned around to the water elemental and inclined his head. "I wish you a pleasant journey." At one time, he would never have thought to say such a thing to the elemental. But things had changed between them. Although there was still a certain amount of rivalry between them in terms of power, Sesshoumaru could almost call the blue-haired elemental his friend.

Kagome laid a hand on his arm. "We should go too before it gets too late." Turning to Akiyama, she offered, "Are you sure you don't want to stay over?"

Akiyama shook his head as he stood up. "I'm expected back in Hokkaido."

Sesshoumaru smirked. No doubt the wind sorceress would give the water elemental trouble if he did not return in a timely manner. Their relationship had come as a surprise, considering that Kagura was once their enemy. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Akiyama was the one to return Kagura her heart.

"Say hello to Kagura for us. It's too bad she could not come," Kagome said, walking out of the restaurant. "How are things going, anyway?"

A small smile flitted across the elemental's lips. "It is fine."

Stopping at the edge of the pavement outside the restaurant, she raised an eyebrow. "Just fine?" Then she grinned mischievously. "Hmm… I remember her mentioning something about a recent courting gift."

Akiyama closed his eyes in resignation. "Perhaps I should remind her that some things are meant to be private."

Right at that moment, Misao began to stir. Opening her liquid brown eyes, she blinked sleepily. "Okaa-san? Chichi-ue?" she mumbled, and then straightened as her eyes landed on her brother.

Grinning, Sachimaru leaned over to tickle his sister in the ribs.

Giggling, Misao wriggled, trying to slap Sachimaru's hands away. "Onii-chan!"

"Stop it, Sachimaru," Kagome admonished.

As Sachimaru backed away, Misao turned an innocent face to her mother, "Okaa-san, I want to go to Onii-chan."

Sesshoumaru's lips quirked. He had no doubt his daughter was planning to exact revenge on her brother. When Kagome put their daughter down, she immediately broke away to chase her older brother down the street. Although he knew that Sachimaru was more than capable of protecting his sister, Sesshoumaru still felt compelled to keep an eye on them.

* * *

"She is wearing the bracelet," Akiyama said, eyeing the running girl fondly.

Kagome nodded. "She likes it." Instead of the skill of empathy, Akiyama had gifted Misao with a protection bracelet for her birthday.

Akiyama smiled. "Well, I'd better leave. Keep in touch, alright?"

"I will," Kagome said, waving goodbye at the elemental.

Once Akiyama had disappeared into the air, Kagome turned around to Shiori and Inuyasha. "You two staying over?" she asked.

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. "Keh! Where else would we stay?"

Shiori scowled. "Would it kill you to just talk normally?"

"I AM talking normally!"

"See, that's your problem," Shiori pointed out.

"Hey!" Kagome quickly interjected, trying hard to suppress her grin. The two of them fought constantly. "You guys, don't you get tired of arguing?" she asked with a chuckle.

Shiori instantly blushed while Inuyasha gave her a mutinous look. "We're not really arguing," the hanyou finally said gruffly.

Kagome tweaked Inuyasha's ear, eliciting a snarl of protest from him. "The two of you look cute together anyway. I'm glad you finally worked things out."

"Are we going back or not?" Inuyasha growled, obviously embarrassed by the topic of conversation.

Kagome nodded.

Then Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Oh! I forgot!" Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a little bag with a small insignia of the Higurashi Shrine. "I went to the shrine yesterday. Your grandfather asked me to give you this. And your mother said to tell you that she will visit next week."

Kagome took the bag and pulled out a yellow rope with a pearl-like bauble at the end. Then she gave Inuyasha a dubious look. "Erm… Did he say what this is supposed to be?"

"Shikon-no-tama, apparently," Inuyasha replied, chuckling.

Sesshoumaru took the bauble from her, peering at it with a pair of critical golden eyes. "This is certainly not the Shikon-no-tama."

Laughing, Kagome shook her head. "Jii-chan just likes to make all these things to sell at the shrine."

With a wave, Inuyasha walked to his car with Shiori. "I'll see you back home."

Sachimaru skidded to a halt in front of them with Misao close behind him. "We're going home yet?" he asked.

"Hn."

"I'll take Misao with me," Sachimaru quickly declared, hefting his sister up.

"When can I learn to fly?" Misao asked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation as she bounced in Sachimaru's arms.

"Not yet, Misao," Sesshoumaru replied firmly. "You will be prepared to do so in a few years."

Kagome groaned. She could not believe that they were having this conversation again. First it was Sachimaru and now it was Misao. She could never get over the fact that Sachimaru was old enough to travel through the sky by himself. It worried her even more that Sachimaru was apparently good enough to perform heart-stopping stunts quite easily.

Unfortunately for her, Misao loved Sachimaru's stunts.

Sesshoumaru pinned a stern look on his son. "You will be careful with your sister, Sachimaru. Do not be irresponsible."

"Don't fly too fast," Kagome cautioned. "And no stunts."

Grinning, his youki cloud already forming under him, Sachimaru replied, "I'll be careful. As always."

With that, Sachimaru shot into the air at a hair-raising speed with his sister squealing joyously in his arms. Kagome glared at the outline of her children up in the sky. Sachimaru needed to be spanked, she thought darkly. And she would really do it if she did not think that Sachimaru was already so big.

"They will be safe," Sesshoumaru assured her calmly, placing his arms around her and then ascending on his cloud.

"They are growing so fast," Kagome said wistfully as she glanced up at Sesshoumaru.

Her mate tightened his arms around her as he looked down. "It is inevitable."

"I guess."

Keeping their eyes on their children not far in front of them, they traveled in a comfortable silence for the rest of the trip. Leaning back comfortably against Sesshoumaru, Kagome took in the terrain speeding past below them, bathed in a warm glow. The setting sun cast orange and pink glow across the sky, giving an almost surreal feel to the journey.

Soon they arrived at the castle grounds. Kagome shook her head disapprovingly when she saw Sachimaru taking a nosedive down to the courtyard with his fearless sister egging him on. Honestly, her children would give her a heart attack one day.

Sesshoumaru landed them on the raised platform outside what used to be the reception room, which had since been converted into a comfortable living room. Kagome glanced around to find that Sachimaru and Misao had landed in the courtyard.

Waving at her, Misao declared, "We're playing hide and seek!"

"Behave yourselves!" Kagome yelled as her children ran off again.

Sesshoumaru watched silently beside her as Sachimaru and Misao began their favorite game. The boulders around the hotsprings provided more than enough obstructions for one of them to hide while the other 'hunted'.

Kagome shook her head, smiling. "Sachimaru adores Misao."

"He is teaching her to hunt."

"Looks like she's doing quite well," Kagome remarked as Sachimaru was thrown to the ground when a flying Misao crashed into him.

Sesshoumaru adopted a thoughtful expression. "Misao appears to be more… aggressive than Sachimaru. She has inherited that trait from you."

Kagome eyed her mate disbelievingly. "Somehow, I don't believe that. After all, demons are more aggressive, right?"

"I do not deny that human in general are less aggressive. You, however…" he trailed off meaningfully.

He was teasing her again. Scowling playfully at him, she prodded him in the chest. "It's not funny." Then a spark of mischief compelled her to say, "Do you remember what happened right on this spot more than five hundred years ago?"

Silence greeted her.

She peeked sideways to find Sesshoumaru wearing an amused expression. That was odd. With his memory, he should remember this event she was referring to. And he definitely should not find it amusing. Frowning in confusion, she asked, "What's so funny?"

"This is the third time you mentioned it."

"That's because I'm waiting for you to remember!" she shot back indignantly. How could he not remember? Then she grew suspicious. Maybe he was just pretending.

Crossing her arms over her chest in mock anger, she stepped off the platform and stomped towards the edge of the steaming hotsprings. It came as no surprise that Sesshoumaru followed close behind her.

"How can you not remember?" she muttered.

A short moment of silence followed before Sesshoumaru asked silkily, "Do you wish to refuse this Sesshoumaru again… Miko?"

She bit back a grin. "It's a little late for that now, isn't it? And anyway, if I really want to get rid of you, I'd just have to betray you, right?" she teased.

He stiffened behind her. Then he growled in her ear, "You will be punished for such treacherous words."

Kagome's eyes rounded when she suddenly found herself lifted high in the air. "Sesshoumaru!" she shrieked in protest, grasping at his wrists. Their eyes met. To her consternation, his golden orbs were gleaming with a wicked intent.

An instant later, she was flying through the air. Before a scream could escape her, she plunged into the hotsprings headfirst, swallowing mouthfuls of mineral-laden water. Sputtering and choking as she found her footing, Kagome flipped her hair out of her face to glare at her smirking mate.

"Why you…" she hissed threateningly, throwing her palms out at him.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened just as a pearlescent barrier surrounded him. Grinning gleefully, Kagome pulled the barrier towards her with an incredulous Sesshoumaru trapped within. When he was just above the hotsprings, she dissolved the barrier.

With a loud splash, Sesshoumaru joined her in the water.

Kagome's grin widened when he surfaced with his silver hair matted to his scalp, wearing a thunderous expression. To her alarm, Sesshoumaru immediately launched himself towards her. Shrieking in laughter, Kagome tried to swim away, but she was no match for Sesshoumaru in terms of speed. Soon, she was caged in his arm and a moment later, dunked back into the water.

When she finally managed to surface again, sputtering indignantly, she found two pairs of incredulous eyes staring at them from the bank.

"And they tell us to behave," Sachimaru muttered, shaking his head while wearing a long-suffering look.

Misao giggled.

Somewhat embarrassed at being chastised by her own children, Kagome pasted a stern expression on her face. "Bed, the two of you!" she instructed.

"Okaa-san!" both of them whined in unison. They both turned to their father, wearing identical beseeching looks. Then Sachimaru added grumpily, "I'm old enough to stay up."

"You got school tomorrow," Kagome pointed out.

Sachimaru released a heartfelt groan.

Suppressing the urge to grin, Kagome snuck a sideway glance at Sesshoumaru to see his lips twitching. He seemed to be finding all this quite amusing as well.

"Obey your mother," Sesshoumaru finally said, somehow managing to keep his face straight.

As both Sachimaru and Misao went indoors, Kagome found herself being lifted up by her mate and brought out of the water. Her arms immediately went around his neck and she sighed in contentment, breathing in the scent of hotsprings mixed with the maleness of Sesshoumaru.

Soon, they arrived back in their bedroom. Kagome quickly stripped away her wet clothes. Before she could turn around for some dry clothes, Sesshoumaru dropped a fluffy towel around her and shifted so that they faced each other.

Their eyes met and in that instant, Kagome felt a rush of warmth surging through her. Her heart constricted at the thought of how much she loved this demon and how happy she was that they were now together. Still wrapped in her towel, she traced a finger along one of his magenta stripes, smiling softly as she did so. She loved seeing him in his natural form. And seeing it everyday reminded her of how far they have come, how the demons no longer needed to hide themselves.

"What is on your mind?" he asked quietly as he leaned down to nuzzle her neck.

"Just thinking how things have changed for the demons," she mumbled absently as she arched, relishing to feel of his cheeks against her neck.

Drawing back to look at her, Sesshoumaru said, "Akiyama informs me that that demons now have equal rights in politics."

She grinned. "Aren't you glad you didn't go ahead with the memory wipe?"

A thoughtful look crossed Sesshoumaru's features. "It was a risk, but one which certainly turned out to be beneficial to us."

Kagome laughed. "See, I told you. All we needed was a little faith."

"Indeed, Kagome."

* * *

THE END

* * *

A/N: Yes, that's it for this story – five months of writing all done! I'm so happy! Thank you for all your support in all this time. I hope you like the conclusion. Please review if you can. 


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